REFI vs. EFC

Last updated Jun 20, 2026

REFI (Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.) and EFC (Ellington Financial Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the REIT - Mortgage industry within the Real Estate sector. Over the past 3 years, REFI returned 3.02%/yr vs 13.32%/yr for EFC. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

REFI vs. EFC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) and Ellington Financial Inc. (EFC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, REFI achieves a -2.68% return, which is significantly lower than EFC's 4.12% return.

REFI

• 1D: 3.06%
• 1M: 0.53%
• YTD: -2.68%
• 6M: -4.63%
• 1Y: -6.81%
• 3Y*: 3.02%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

EFC

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: 0.52%
• YTD: 4.12%
• 6M: 3.14%
• 1Y: 18.27%
• 3Y*: 13.32%
• 5Y*: 5.86%
• 10Y*: 9.12%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

REFI vs. EFC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
REFI Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.	-2.68%	-8.70%	8.69%	23.70%	3.35%	1.52%
EFC Ellington Financial Inc.	4.12%	26.13%	8.68%	18.16%	-18.32%	-1.43%

Correlation

The correlation between REFI and EFC is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.47
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 8, 2021	0.39

Fundamentals

Market Cap REFI : $245.99M EFC : $1.64B
EPS REFI : $226.63 EFC : $1.95
PE Ratio REFI : 0.05 EFC : 6.91
PEG Ratio REFI : 0.00 EFC : 0.05
PS Ratio REFI : 5.54 EFC : 3.37
PB Ratio REFI : 0.00 EFC : 0.96
Total Revenue (TTM) REFI : $44.35M EFC : $417.93M
Gross Profit (TTM) REFI : $42.41M EFC : $347.01M
EBITDA (TTM) REFI : $8.16M EFC : $270.77M

Return for Risk

REFI vs. EFC — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

REFI

REFI Risk / Return Rank: 27
REFI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
REFI Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
REFI Omega Ratio Rank: 26
REFI Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
REFI Martin Ratio Rank: 26

EFC

EFC Risk / Return Rank: 68
EFC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
EFC Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
EFC Omega Ratio Rank: 66
EFC Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
EFC Martin Ratio Rank: 69

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

REFI vs. EFC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) and Ellington Financial Inc. (EFC). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	REFI	EFC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.29	1.04	-1.33
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.24	1.55	-1.79
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.97	1.19	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.46	1.04	-1.50
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.82	3.37	-4.20

REFI vs. EFC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current REFI Sharpe Ratio is -0.29, which is lower than the EFC Sharpe Ratio of 1.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of REFI and EFC, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

REFI vs. EFC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum REFI drawdown since its inception was -26.55%, smaller than the maximum EFC drawdown of -79.08%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for REFI and EFC.

Drawdown Indicators

	REFI	EFC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.55%	-79.08%	+52.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.71%	-17.71%	+3.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.25%	-18.86%	-0.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-34.19%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-79.08%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.63%	-1.75%	-13.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.93%	-9.92%	-0.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.28%	5.43%	+2.85%

Volatility

REFI vs. EFC - Volatility Comparison

Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) has a higher volatility of 6.25% compared to Ellington Financial Inc. (EFC) at 4.43%. This indicates that REFI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EFC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	REFI	EFC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.25%	4.43%	+1.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.18%	13.27%	+2.91%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.78%	17.64%	+6.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.32%	23.95%	+0.37%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.32%	42.26%	-17.94%

Dividends

REFI vs. EFC - Dividend Comparison

REFI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 16.42%, more than EFC's 11.61% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EFC Ellington Financial Inc.	11.61%	11.49%	13.20%	14.16%	14.55%	9.60%	8.49%	9.87%	10.70%	12.13%	12.56%	14.60%
REFI Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc.	16.42%	15.33%	13.36%	13.41%	13.93%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both REFI and EFC in my portfolio?

REFI and EFC have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, REFI or EFC?

REFI has higher volatility (6.25%) compared to EFC (4.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, REFI dropped -26.55% vs EFC's -79.08%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

EFC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.04 vs -0.29), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.