Analyzing Rayonier (NYSE:RYN) and Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARI)

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance (NYSE:ARIGet Free Report) and Rayonier (NYSE:RYNGet Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, profitability and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and Rayonier’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance -35.84% 9.11% 2.01%
Rayonier 15.84% 2.95% 1.52%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and Rayonier, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance 1 4 0 0 1.80
Rayonier 0 2 0 0 2.00

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance currently has a consensus target price of $9.63, suggesting a potential upside of 4.17%. Rayonier has a consensus target price of $33.00, suggesting a potential upside of 4.36%. Given Rayonier’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Rayonier is more favorable than Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance.

Dividends

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance pays an annual dividend of $1.00 per share and has a dividend yield of 10.8%. Rayonier pays an annual dividend of $1.14 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.6%. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance pays out -108.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Rayonier pays out 107.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance and Rayonier”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance $344.59 million 3.71 $58.13 million ($0.92) -10.04
Rayonier $1.06 billion 4.46 $173.49 million $1.06 29.83

Rayonier has higher revenue and earnings than Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Rayonier, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

54.4% of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 89.1% of Rayonier shares are held by institutional investors. 0.7% of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.8% of Rayonier shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Risk and Volatility

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance has a beta of 1.75, meaning that its stock price is 75% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Rayonier has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its stock price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Rayonier beats Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance

(Get Free Report)

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that originates, acquires, invests in, and manages commercial first mortgage loans, subordinate financings, and other commercial real estate-related debt investments in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. It is qualified as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income taxes, if the company distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is based in New York, New York.

About Rayonier

(Get Free Report)

Rayonier is a leading timberland real estate investment trust with assets located in some of the most productive softwood timber growing regions in the United States and New Zealand. As of December 31, 2023, Rayonier owned or leased under long-term agreements approximately 2.7 million acres of timberlands located in the U.S. South (1.85 million acres), U.S. Pacific Northwest (418,000 acres) and New Zealand (421,000 acres).

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