Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI) vs MFA Financial (MFA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
MFA Financial (MFA) has outperformed Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI) over the past year, losing 20.3% versus a loss of 37.7%. Over five years, ARI leads with a -59.3% price change compared with -61.6% for MFA. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is the larger company by market cap ($801.5 million vs $723.3 million), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, MFA Financial trades at a lower forward P/E (5.2x vs 27.5x for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance). MFA Financial offers the higher dividend yield (20.13% vs 16.04%).
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 | ARI | MFA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $6.24 | $7.16 |
| Market cap | $801.47M | $723.28M |
| 1-day change | +0.08% | +0.07% |
| YTD return | -35.64% | -23.20% |
| 1-year return | -37.70% | -20.29% |
| 5-year return | -59.33% | -61.56% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 7.79 | 7.08 |
| Forward P/E | 27.47 | 5.17 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.80 | $1.01 |
| Dividend yield | 16.04% | 20.13% |
| Annual dividend | $1.00 | $1.44 |
| 52-week high | $11.24 | $10.43 |
| 52-week low | $6.11 | $7.01 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -44.53% | -31.40% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +28.31% | +93.29% |
| Average volume | 3.88M | 1.64M |
| Shares outstanding | 128.54M | 101.09M |
| Employees | — | 307 |
| 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
- MFA has outperformed ARI by 17.4 percentage points over the past year.
- MFA Financial offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (20.13% vs 16.04%).
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 MFA Financial
MFA stock →MFA Financial, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a real estate investment trust in the United States. It operates through two segments: Mortgage-Related Assets and Lima One.
Real Estate · Real Estate Investment Trusts · 307 employees
ARI vs MFA FAQ
Which is bigger, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance or MFA Financial?
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (ARI) is larger, with a market capitalization of $801.47M compared with $723.28M for MFA Financial (MFA).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ARI or MFA?
MFA returned -20.29% 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 MFA?
MFA has the lower trailing P/E at 7.1, 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 MFA Financial?
MFA Financial has the higher yield at 20.13%, compared with 16.04% for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance.
Are Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and MFA Financial in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Real Estate Investment Trusts industry within the Real Estate sector.