MetaCap

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI) vs Ellington Financial (EFC)

Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.

Summary

Ellington Financial (EFC) has outperformed Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI) over the past year, losing 13.8% versus a loss of 37.7%. Over five years, EFC leads with a -36.4% price change compared with -59.3% for ARI. Ellington Financial is the larger company by market cap ($1.52 billion vs $800.8 million), about 1.9 times the size.

On valuation, Ellington Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (5.9x vs 27.4x for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance). Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance offers the higher dividend yield (16.05% vs 13.46%).

Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology

Relative performance

ARI-37.70%EFC-13.83%
+15%-13%-41%
Oct 7, 20251 yearOct 7, 2026
ARI-58.80%EFC-38.12%
+7%-28%-62%
Oct 4, 20215 yearsOct 5, 2026

Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.

Head-to-head

ARI versus EFC key metrics
MetricARIEFC
Share price$6.23$11.59
Market cap$800.83M$1.52B
1-day change-0.32%-0.69%
YTD return-35.64%-14.65%
1-year return-37.70%-13.83%
5-year return-59.33%-36.42%
P/E ratio (TTM)7.797.20
Forward P/E27.455.86
EPS (TTM)$0.80$1.61
Dividend yield16.05%13.46%
Annual dividend$1.00$1.56
52-week high$11.24$14.12
52-week low$6.11$11.28
Distance from 52-week high-44.57%-17.92%
Analyst consensusbuybuy
Avg. price target upside+28.41%+28.21%
Average volume3.88M1.28M
Shares outstanding128.54M128.89M
Employees—500
SectorReal EstateFinance
IndustryReal Estate Investment TrustsReal Estate

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

  • EFC has outperformed ARI by 23.9 percentage points over the past year.
  • Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (16.05% vs 13.46%).
  • The two companies sit in different sectors: Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance in Real Estate and Ellington Financial in Finance.

About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance

ARI stock →

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust that originates, acquires, invests in, and manages commercial first mortgage loans, subordinate financings, and other commercial real estate-related debt investments.

Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts

About Ellington Financial

EFC stock →

Ellington Financial Inc., through its subsidiary, Ellington Financial Operating Partnership LLC, acquires and manages mortgage-related, consumer-related, corporate-related, and other financial assets in the United States. It operates in two segments, Investment Portfolio and Longbridge.

Finance · Real Estate · 500 employees

ARI vs EFC FAQ

Which is bigger, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance or Ellington Financial?

Ellington Financial (EFC) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.52B compared with $800.83M for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI).

Which stock has performed better over the past year, ARI or EFC?

EFC returned -13.83% over the past 12 months, compared with -37.70% for ARI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.

Which has the lower P/E ratio, ARI or EFC?

EFC has the lower trailing P/E at 7.2, versus 7.8 for ARI. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.

Which pays a higher dividend, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance or Ellington Financial?

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has the higher yield at 16.05%, compared with 13.46% for Ellington Financial.

Are Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and Ellington Financial in the same industry?

No. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is in the Real Estate sector, while Ellington Financial is in Finance.

More comparisons