Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance

REFI

Valor de mercado US$ 239 mi

With the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield recently reaching 5.3%, income-oriented investors have a compelling alternative to dividend-paying stocks, particularly as rising interest rates pressure real estate investment trusts (REITs).

Invesco Mortgage Capital (IVR), MFA Financial (MFA), and five others lead the October Dividend Power list with high yields and 'safer' dividends backed by free cash flow. Top ten Dividend Power stocks are projected to deliver average net gains of 86.23% by October 2027, with analyst targets indicating significant upside potential. Dividend Power strategy focuses on high earnings yield and top dividend yield, favoring underpriced, high-yielding 'underdog' stocks for contrarian, income-focused investors.

Marijuana stocks are entering a new phase as stronger consumer demand, regulatory progress, and improved access to U.S. capital markets compete with persistent pricing and profitability pressures. The cannabis industry is no longer driven solely by legalization headlines; investors increasingly distinguish disciplined operators from companies with excessive debt, weak margins, or limited cash flow.

The August 2026 ReFa/Ro Dog list highlights high-yield dividend stocks, with all top ten passing the IDEAL test of dividends from $1k invested exceeding share price. Brokers forecast 49.71% to 83.69% net gains for the top ten ReFa/Ro Dogs by August 2027, though only 20% of last year's picks were among top price gainers. Sixteen of forty ReFa/Ro stocks show negative free cash flow margins, indicating elevated dividend risk for a significant portion of high-yield names.

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance is rated Buy, with a forward yield likely to reset post-merger with Chicago Atlantic BDC (LIEN). The merger is NAV-for-NAV, with an illustrative exchange ratio of ~1.085 LIEN shares per REFI share, and both stocks trade at a 23% discount to NAV. Post-merger, a sustainable dividend is projected at $0.37–$0.40 per quarter, implying a 15–16% yield—lower than the current 17%, but still attractive.

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance offers a high 17% yield but lacks compelling total returns, with only 27.8% over nearly five years. REFI's upcoming merger with Chicago Atlantic BDC expands the pipeline but brings dilution, lower coverage, and limited diversification benefits due to borrower overlap. Income quality is deteriorating: non-cash interest income rose to 18.7%, and coverage now sits below 100%, raising sustainability concerns for the dividend.

CHICAGO, Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NASDAQ: REFI), a commercial mortgage real estate investment trust, announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.47 per share for the third quarter of 2026. The regular quarterly dividend, which equates to an annualized rate of $1.88 per common share, is payable on October 15, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 30, 2026.

Dividend Power strategy highlights 35 high-yield, low-valuation stocks, with 11 showing 'safer' dividends backed by free cash flow. Top ten Dividend Power stocks are projected to deliver an average 55.36% net gain by September 2027, with individual upside estimates up to 94.97%. Financials dominate the list, and eight stocks meet the IDEAL 'safer' criteria: dividends from $1K invested exceed share price and are covered by free cash flow.

The cannabis sector continues to evolve as investors search for opportunities beyond traditional marijuana producers and dispensary operators. One area attracting attention is cannabis real estate investment trusts, or cannabis REITs. These companies offer investors another way to participate in the expanding legal cannabis industry. Instead of selling marijuana products, cannabis REITs provide real estate and financing to licensed operators. Therefore, they can generate revenue without directly handling cannabis. This business structure has also made several cannabis REITs attractive dividend stocks. Many offer dividend yields considerably higher than those available from traditional income investments. As a result, income investors may find this small corner of the marijuana stock market especially interesting. However, higher dividend yields usually come with additional risks. Cannabis remains federally illegal in the United States. Consequently, marijuana businesses continue facing banking, financing, taxation, and regulatory challenges. These difficulties can also affect landlords and lenders serving the industry.

NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chicago Atlantic BDC, Inc. (“LIEN” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: LIEN), a specialty finance company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026. Operating Highlights   For the Three Months Ended (Dollar amounts in millions, except per share data)* June 30, 2026 March 31, 2026   Total Amount Per Share Total Amount Per Share Total investment income $14.0 $0.61 $16.7 $0.73 Net investment income $7.7 $0.34 $10.0 $0.44 Net change in unrealized gains (losses) $(1.6) $(0.07) $(1.4) $(0.06) Net increase in net assets resulting from operations $6.1 $0.27 $8.5 $0.37 *totals may not foot due to rounding.