Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) vs KKR Real Estate Finance (KREF)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) has outperformed KKR Real Estate Finance (KREF) over the past year, losing 20.3% versus a loss of 27.8%. Over five years, KREF leads with a -71.7% price change compared with -76.5% for ACRE. KKR Real Estate Finance is the larger company by market cap ($373.1 million vs $203.1 million), about 1.8 times the size.
On valuation, Ares Commercial Real Estate trades at a lower forward P/E (10.7x vs 182.0x for KKR Real Estate Finance). Ares Commercial Real Estate offers the higher dividend yield (16.39% vs 13.34%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ACRE | KREF |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $3.66 | $6.37 |
| Market cap | $203.06M | $373.14M |
| 1-day change | +0.27% | +2.25% |
| YTD return | -23.64% | -24.21% |
| 1-year return | -20.31% | -27.81% |
| 5-year return | -76.47% | -71.68% |
| Forward P/E | 10.69 | 182.00 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.08 | $-3.26 |
| Dividend yield | 16.39% | 13.34% |
| Annual dividend | $0.60 | $0.85 |
| 52-week high | $5.89 | $9.11 |
| 52-week low | $3.58 | $5.25 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -37.86% | -30.04% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +44.81% | +21.66% |
| Average volume | 461.70K | 937.21K |
| Shares outstanding | 55.48M | 58.58M |
| Sector | Real Estate | Real Estate |
| Industry | Real Estate Investment Trusts | Real Estate Investment Trusts |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Ares Commercial Real Estate offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (16.39% vs 13.34%).
About Ares Commercial Real Estate
ACRE stock →Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation, a specialty finance company, engages in the originating and investing in commercial real estate (CRE) loans and related investments in the United States. The company provides loan opportunities for the owners, operators, and sponsors of CRE properties.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts
About KKR Real Estate Finance
KREF stock →KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Inc., a mortgage real estate investment trust, focuses primarily on originating and acquiring transitional senior loans secured by commercial real estate (CRE) assets in the United States. It engages in the origination and purchase of credit investments related to CRE, including leveraged and unleveraged commercial real estate loans.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts
ACRE vs KREF FAQ
Which is bigger, Ares Commercial Real Estate or KKR Real Estate Finance?
KKR Real Estate Finance (KREF) is larger, with a market capitalization of $373.14M compared with $203.06M for Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ACRE or KREF?
ACRE returned -20.31% over the past 12 months, compared with -27.81% for KREF (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Ares Commercial Real Estate or KKR Real Estate Finance?
Ares Commercial Real Estate has the higher yield at 16.39%, compared with 13.34% for KKR Real Estate Finance.
Are Ares Commercial Real Estate and KKR Real Estate Finance in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry within the Real Estate sector.