Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance $ARI Shares Purchased by Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC

Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARI) by 251.8% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 171,808 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after purchasing an additional 122,970 shares during the quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance were worth $1,718,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Allianz Asset Management GmbH purchased a new stake in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the second quarter worth about $1,358,000. McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance in the second quarter valued at approximately $41,000. AlphaCore Capital LLC increased its stake in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 14.3% during the 2nd quarter. AlphaCore Capital LLC now owns 128,147 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $1,240,000 after buying an additional 16,068 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 78,451 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $759,000 after buying an additional 10,635 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Edgestream Partners L.P. acquired a new stake in Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,323,000. 54.43% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance from $10.75 to $11.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Wall Street Zen cut Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance from $10.50 to $11.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 3rd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $10.88.

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Price Performance

ARI stock opened at $10.83 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $10.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $10.11. The company has a quick ratio of 90.32, a current ratio of 90.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The stock has a market cap of $1.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.17, a PEG ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 1.54. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has a fifty-two week low of $7.70 and a fifty-two week high of $11.20.

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.30 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.28 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $63.88 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $49.15 million. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance had a net margin of 51.40% and a return on equity of 8.34%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance will post 0.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 31st were paid a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.2%. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, December 31st. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 112.36%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Stuart Rothstein sold 52,072 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $10.16, for a total value of $529,051.52. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 229,709 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,333,843.44. The trade was a 18.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.68% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Key Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance News

Here are the key news stories impacting Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance this week:

• Positive Sentiment: ARI announced the sale of a large commercial real‑estate loan portfolio (~$9 billion) to an Apollo group insurer, which markets reported as generating a meaningful one‑time gain and pushed the stock higher on the news. This transaction explains recent upside and likely improves near‑term cash/liquidity metrics. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Gains on Sale of $9B Portfolio
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks notes the stock jumped ~5.5% on above‑average volume after recent headlines but cautions that FFO/earnings estimate revisions do not yet support sustained momentum, signaling limited confirmatory analyst upgrades. Apollo Commerical Finance (ARI) Soars 5.5%: Is Further Upside Left in the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: The company set February 10 (after‑market) for its Q4 and full‑year 2025 results and a Feb 11 conference call. Investors should watch the earnings release for details on the $9B sale accounting, realized gains, and guidance which will drive the next directional move. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. Announces Dates for Fourth Quarter and Year End 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call
• Neutral Sentiment: ARI published its 2025 dividend tax treatment details (breakdown of ordinary vs. qualified amounts). This clarifies tax reporting for income investors but is unlikely to move the stock materially by itself. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. Announces 2025 Dividend Income Tax Treatment
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and coverage pieces flagged structural concerns: some outlets raised the possibility the REIT could substantially shrink or even dissolve following the intra‑group sale, creating uncertainty about future distributions and the company’s independent franchise value. That risk likely pressured sentiment after the initial pop. Apollo REIT Could Dissolve After Selling $9B Loan Portfolio To Insurance Subsidiary
• Negative Sentiment: Consensus broker recommendations remain cautious (consensus “Hold”), and some commentators warn the recent price spike lacks supporting upward revisions to FFO estimates—suggesting limited follow‑through absent clearer earnings/cash‑return outcomes. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARI) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Brokerages

About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc (NYSE: ARI) is a real estate finance company structured as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company focuses on originating, acquiring and managing a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate debt and preferred equity investments. As an externally managed vehicle, ARI leverages the expertise and resources of an affiliate of Apollo Global Management, a leading global alternative investment manager.

ARI’s investment strategy is centered on providing first mortgage loans, mezzanine debt financing, bridge loans and preferred equity across a broad range of property types, including office, retail, industrial and multifamily assets.