Ares Commercial Real Estate Co. (NYSE:ACRE) Short Interest Up 30.5% in January

Ares Commercial Real Estate Co. (NYSE:ACRE) was the recipient of a significant growth in short interest in the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totaling 575,500 shares, a growth of 30.5% from the January 15th total of 440,900 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 527,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.1 days.

Shares of ACRE stock opened at $14.61 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.55, a current ratio of 0.33 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $14.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $15.10. Ares Commercial Real Estate has a 12 month low of $13.25 and a 12 month high of $16.98. The company has a market capitalization of $686.70 million, a PE ratio of 9.61 and a beta of 1.25.

Ares Commercial Real Estate (NYSE:ACRE) last issued its earnings results on Monday, February 14th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.41 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.04. Ares Commercial Real Estate had a net margin of 61.95% and a return on equity of 9.74%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.40 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Ares Commercial Real Estate will post 1.47 EPS for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 31st will be given a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.03%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 30th. Ares Commercial Real Estate’s dividend payout ratio is currently 86.84%.

Several equities analysts have issued reports on ACRE shares. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, February 10th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $16.50 price objective on shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate in a report on Friday, November 12th. Finally, JMP Securities increased their price objective on shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate from $16.50 to $17.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 4th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $15.92.

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In related news, CEO Bryan Patrick Donohoe sold 8,813 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $14.96, for a total transaction of $131,842.48. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.96% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ACRE. Capital Analysts LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate in the third quarter valued at approximately $48,000. Penserra Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate in the third quarter valued at approximately $81,000. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY grew its holdings in shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate by 105,411.1% in the second quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co NY now owns 9,496 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $139,000 after purchasing an additional 9,487 shares in the last quarter. Strs Ohio grew its holdings in shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate by 14.8% in the third quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 10,100 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $152,000 after purchasing an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ares Commercial Real Estate in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $154,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 51.79% of the company’s stock.

Ares Commercial Real Estate Company Profile

Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp. engages in originating and investing in commercial real estate loans and related investments. The Company’s investments include senior mortgage loans, subordinated debt, preferred equity, mezzanine loans and other commercial real estate investments, including commercial mortgage backed securities, which are secured, directly or indirectly, by office, multifamily, retail, industrial, lodging, senior living, self storage, student housing and other commercial real estate properties, or by ownership interests.

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