KKR Real Estate Finance Trust (NYSE:KREF) Issues Earnings Results

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust (NYSE:KREF) issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.08, FiscalAI reports. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust had a negative net margin of 10.80% and a negative return on equity of 1.11%. The business had revenue of $32.72 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $26.06 million.

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Stock Down 3.6%

Shares of NYSE:KREF opened at $7.89 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.63, a quick ratio of 423.43 and a current ratio of 423.43. The company has a market capitalization of $516.39 million, a PE ratio of -7.51 and a beta of 0.88. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust has a 52 week low of $7.55 and a 52 week high of $11.53. The company’s fifty day moving average is $8.33 and its 200-day moving average is $8.74.

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Announces Dividend

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 $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 31st. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 12.7%. KKR Real Estate Finance Trust’s payout ratio is currently -285.71%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have weighed in on KREF. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $9.00 target price (down previously from $9.50) on shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. BTIG Research cut shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods decreased their target price on KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from $8.25 to $8.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Zacks Research cut KKR Real Estate Finance Trust from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $10.40.

Insider Buying and Selling at KKR Real Estate Finance Trust

In related news, Director Christen E.J. Lee purchased 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 7th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $7.80 per share, with a total value of $78,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 229,133 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,787,237.40. This trade represents a 4.56% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Ralph F. Rosenberg sold 125,289 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.25, for a total value of $1,033,634.25. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 1.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On KKR Real Estate Finance Trust

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Nomura Holdings Inc. bought a new position in shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at about $5,212,000. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. boosted its position in KKR Real Estate Finance Trust by 368.5% during the second quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 536,084 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,701,000 after purchasing an additional 421,657 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust by 92.2% during the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 841,503 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,380,000 after buying an additional 403,660 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust by 148.3% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 312,596 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,741,000 after buying an additional 186,687 shares during the period. Finally, Millennium Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of KKR Real Estate Finance Trust during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,521,000. Institutional investors own 70.23% of the company’s stock.

More KKR Real Estate Finance Trust News

Here are the key news stories impacting KKR Real Estate Finance Trust this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — EPS $0.22 (vs. ~ $0.14 est.) and revenue $32.72M (vs. ~$26.06M), signaling better-than-expected operating performance for the quarter. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Company posted formal Q4 results and materials (press release, slide deck, conference call) that highlight revenue and strategic actions, giving investors more transparency into portfolio moves. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Management outlined a $1.5B repayment target and plans for aggressive asset resolutions while it evaluates the dividend strategy — this could improve leverage over time but raises near-term cash‑return uncertainty for income investors. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call and transcript provide more detail on strategic expansion and portfolio actions that investors will parse for credit performance and timing of cash returns. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrades: BTIG cut KREF from Buy to Neutral and Zacks moved the stock from Hold to Strong Sell — these revisions can prompt selling pressure and reduce short-term demand. Read More. | Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Company financial profile shows high leverage and weak profitability (e.g., debt/equity elevated, negative net margin and ROE), which increases sensitivity to interest rates and credit stress—a likely contributor to investor caution. Read More.

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust Company Profile

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc (NYSE: KREF) is a mortgage real estate investment trust sponsored by KKR & Co Inc The company focuses on originating, acquiring, financing and managing a diversified portfolio of commercial real estate debt and real estate-related assets across the United States and select European markets.

The trust’s investment strategy is centered on lending to high-quality office, industrial, retail, multifamily and hotel properties. Its portfolio primarily consists of senior mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, floating-rate debt securities and preferred equity positions.