Quarterly Report for Quarter Ending September 30, 2025 (Form 10-Q)

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements contained in this quarterly report constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and we intend such statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions contained therein. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or the future performance or financial condition of Chicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (the "Company," "we," "us," and "our"). The information contained in this section should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q. This description contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements due to the factors set forth in this quarterly report and in "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and in Part II, Item 1A of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as such risks may by updated, amended, or superseded from time to time by subsequent reports we file with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this report involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements concerning:

Available Information

We routinely post important information for investors on our website, www.chicagoatlantic.com. We intend to use this webpage as a means of disclosing material information, for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD and to post and update investor presentations and similar materials on a regular basis. We encourage investors, analysts, the media, and others interested in us to monitor the Investments section of our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations, webcasts and other information we post from time to time on our website. To sign-up for email-notifications, please visit "Contact" section of our website under "Join Our Mailing List" and enter the required information to enable notifications.

Overview

We are a commercial mortgage real estate investment trust. Our primary investment objective is to provide attractive, risk-adjusted returns for stockholders over time primarily through consistent current income dividends and other distributions and secondarily through capital appreciation. We intend to achieve this objective by originating, structuring and investing in first mortgage loans and alternative structured financings secured by commercial real estate properties. Our current portfolio is comprised primarily of senior loans to state-licensed operators in the cannabis industry, secured by real estate, equipment, receivables, licenses or other assets of the borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations governing such borrowers. We also invest in companies or properties that are not related to the cannabis industry that provide return characteristics consistent with our investment objective. We intend to grow the size of our portfolio by continuing the track record of our business and the business conducted by our Manager and its affiliates by making loans to leading operators and property owners in the cannabis industry. There is no assurance that we will achieve our investment objective.

Our Manager and its affiliates seek to originate real estate loans between $5 million and $200 million, generally with one- to five-year terms and amortization when terms exceed three years. We generally act as co-lenders in such transactions and intend to hold up to $50 million of the aggregate loan amount, with the remainder to be held by affiliates or third party co-investors. We may revise such concentration limits from time to time as our loan portfolio grows. Other investment vehicles managed by our Manager or affiliates of our Manager may co-invest with us or hold positions in a loan where we have also invested, including by means of splitting commitments, participating in loans or other means of syndicating loans. We will not engage in a co-investment transaction with an affiliate where the affiliate has a senior position to the loans held by us. To the extent that an affiliate provides financing to one of our borrowers, such loans will be working capital loans or loans that are subordinate to our loans. We may also serve as co-lenders in loans originated by third parties and, in the future, we may also acquire loans or loan participations. Loans that have one to two year maturities are generally interest only loans.

Our loans are secured by real estate and, in addition, when lending to owner-operators in the cannabis industry, other collateral, such as equipment, receivables, licenses or other assets of the borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations. In addition, we seek to impose strict loan covenants and seek personal or corporate guarantees for additional protection. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, 34.8% and 50.0%, respectively, of the principal of loans held in our portfolio are backed by personal or corporate guarantees. We aim to maintain a portfolio diversified across jurisdictions and across verticals, including cultivators, processors, dispensaries, as well as ancillary businesses. In addition, we may invest in borrowers that have equity securities that are publicly traded on the Canadian Stock Exchange ("CSE") in Canada and/or over-the-counter in the United States.

As of September 30, 2025, our portfolio is comprised primarily of first mortgages to established multi-state or single-state cannabis operators or property owners. We consider cannabis operators to be established if they are state-licensed and are deemed to be

operational and in good standing by the applicable state regulator. We do not own any stock, warrants to purchase stock or other forms of equity in any of our portfolio companies that are involved in the cannabis industry, and we will not take stock, warrants or equity in such issuers until permitted by applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. federal laws and regulations.

We are an externally managed Maryland corporation that elected to be taxed as a REIT under Section 856 of the Code, commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2021. We believe that our method of operation will enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT. However, no assurances can be given that our beliefs or expectations will be fulfilled, since qualification as a REIT depends on us continuing to satisfy numerous asset, income, and distribution tests, which in turn depend, in part, on our operating results. We also intend to operate our business in a manner that will permit us and our subsidiaries to maintain one or more exclusions or exemptions from registration under the Investment Company Act.

Revenues

We operate as one operating segment and are primarily focused on financing senior secured loans and other types of loans for established state-licensed operators in the cannabis industry. These loans are generally held for investment and are substantially secured by real estate, equipment, licenses and other assets of the borrowers to the extent permitted by the applicable laws and the regulations governing such borrowers.

We generate revenue primarily in the form of interest income on loans. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, approximately 63.3% and 62.1%, respectively, of our portfolio of loans held for investment portfolio was comprised of floating rate loans, and 36.7% and 37.9% of our total portfolio was comprised of fixed rate loans, respectively. The floating rate loans described above are variable based upon the Prime Rate plus an applicable margin, and in many cases, a Prime Rate floor. We have two floating rate loan, which comprises approximately 5.1% of the aggregate portfolio outstanding principal that bears a rate based on SOFR.

The below table reflects the changes in the Prime Rate since January 1, 2024:

Interest on our loans is generally payable monthly. The principal amount of our loans and any accrued but unpaid interest thereon generally become due at the applicable maturity date. In some cases, our interest income includes a paid-in-kind ("PIK") component for a portion of the total interest. The PIK interest, computed at the contractual rate specified in each applicable loan agreement, is accrued in accordance with the terms of such loan agreement and capitalized to the principal balance of the loan and recorded as interest income. The PIK interest added to the principal balance is typically amortized and paid in accordance with the applicable loan agreement. In cases where the loans do not amortize, the PIK interest is collected upon repayment of the outstanding principal. We also generate revenue from original issue discounts ("OID"), which is also recognized as interest income from loans over the initial term of the applicable loans. Delayed draw loans may earn interest or unused fees on the undrawn portion of the loan, which is recognized as interest income in the period earned. Other fees, including prepayment fees and exit fees, are also recognized as interest income when received. Any such fees will be generated in connection with our loans and recognized as earned in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP").

Expenses

Our primary operating expense is the payment of Base Management Fees and Incentive Compensation under our Management Agreement with our Manager and the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses paid or incurred on our behalf, including reimbursing our Manager for a certain portion of the compensation of certain personnel of our Manager who assist in the management of our affairs, excepting only those expenses that are specifically the responsibility of our Manager pursuant to our Management Agreement. We bear all other costs and expenses of our operations and transactions, including (without limitation) fees and expenses relating to:

Income Taxes

We are a Maryland corporation that elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code, commencing with the taxable period ended December 31, 2021. We believe that we qualify as a REIT and that our method of operation will enable us to continue to qualify as a REIT. However, no assurances can be given that our beliefs or expectations will be fulfilled, since qualification as a REIT depends on us satisfying numerous asset, income and distribution tests which depends, in part, on our operating results.

To qualify as a REIT, we must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that we distribute annually to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income prior to the deduction for dividends paid. To the extent that we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income in any tax year (taking into account any distributions made in a subsequent tax year under Sections 857(b)(9) or 858 of the Code), we will pay tax at regular corporate rates on that undistributed portion. Furthermore, if we distribute less than the sum of 1) 85% of our ordinary income for the calendar year, 2) 95% of our capital gain net income for the calendar year, and 3) any undistributed shortfall from our prior calendar year (the "Required Distribution") to our stockholders during any calendar year (including any distributions declared by the last day of the calendar year but paid in the subsequent year), then we are required to pay a non-deductible excise tax equal to 4% of any shortfall between the Required Distribution and the amount that was actually distributed. The 90% distribution requirement does not require the distribution of net capital gains. However, if we elect to retain any of our net capital gain for any tax year, we must notify our stockholders and pay tax at regular corporate rates on the retained net capital gain. Our stockholders must include their proportionate share of the retained net capital gain in their taxable income for the tax year, and they are deemed to have paid the REIT's tax on their proportionate share of the retained capital gain. Furthermore, such retained capital gain may be subject to the nondeductible 4% excise tax. If it is determined that our estimated current year taxable income will be in excess of estimated dividend distributions (including capital gain dividend) for the current year from such income, we will accrue excise tax on estimated excess taxable income as such taxable income is earned. The annual expense is calculated in accordance with applicable tax regulations. Excise tax expense, if any, is included in the line item, income tax expense. For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, we did not incur excise tax expense.

Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 740 - Income Taxes ("ASC 740"), prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the consolidated financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. We have analyzed our various federal and state filing positions and believe that our income tax filing positions and deductions are documented and supported as of September 30, 2025. Based on our evaluation, there is no reserve for any uncertain income tax positions. Accrued interest and penalties, if any, are included within other liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

Factors Impacting our Operating Results

The results of our operations are affected by a number of factors and primarily depend on, among other things, the level of our net interest income, the market value of our assets and the supply of, and demand for, commercial real estate debt and other financial assets in the marketplace. Our net interest income, which includes the accretion and amortization of OID, is recognized based on the contractual rate and the outstanding principal balance of the loans we originate. Interest rates will vary according to the type of loan, conditions in the financial markets, creditworthiness of our borrowers, competition and other factors, some of which cannot be predicted with any certainty. Our operating results may also be impacted by credit losses in excess of initial anticipations or unanticipated credit events experienced by borrowers.

Changes in Market Interest Rates and Effect on Net Interest Income

Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including fiscal and monetary policies and domestic and international economic and political considerations, as well as other factors beyond our control. We are subject to interest rate risk in connection with our assets and our related financing obligations.

Our operating results depend in large part on differences between the income earned on our assets and our cost of borrowing. The cost of our borrowings generally is based on prevailing market interest rates. During a period of rising interest rates, our borrowing costs generally will increase (a) while the yields earned on our leveraged fixed-rate loan assets will remain static, and (b) at a faster pace than the yields earned on our leveraged floating-rate loan assets, which could result in a decline in our net interest spread and net interest margin. The severity of any such decline would depend on our asset/liability composition at the time as well as the magnitude and duration of the interest rate increase. Further, an increase in short-term interest rates could also have a negative impact on the market value of our target investments. If any of these events happen, we could experience a decrease in net income or incur a net loss during these periods, which could adversely affect our liquidity and results of operations.

Interest Rate Cap Risk

We currently own and intend to acquire in the future floating-rate assets. These are assets in which the loans may be subject to periodic and lifetime interest rate caps and floors, which limit the amount by which the asset's interest yield may change during any given period. However, our borrowing costs pursuant to our financing agreements may not be subject to similar restrictions. Therefore, in a period of increasing interest rates, interest rate costs on our borrowings could increase without limitation by caps, while the interest-rate yields on our floating-rate assets would effectively be limited. In addition, floating-rate assets may be subject to periodic payment caps that result in some portion of the interest being deferred and added to the principal outstanding. This could result in our receipt of cash income from such assets in an amount that is less than the amount that we would need to pay the interest cost on our related borrowings.

These factors could lower our net interest income or cause a net loss during periods of rising interest rates, which would harm our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. As of September 30, 2025, 63.3% of our portfolio of loans held for investment are floating rate loans, based on total principal outstanding have interest Prime rate floors as summarized below:

Interest Rate Mismatch Risk

We may fund a portion of our origination of loans, or of loans that we may in the future acquire, with borrowings that are based on the Prime Rate or a similar measure, while the interest rates on these assets may be fixed or indexed to the Prime Rate or another index rate, including the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR"). Accordingly, any increase in the Prime Rate or SOFR will generally result in an increase in our borrowing costs that would not be matched by fixed-rate interest earnings and may not be matched by a corresponding increase in floating-rate interest earnings. Any such interest rate mismatch could adversely affect our profitability, which may negatively impact distributions to our stockholders.

Our analysis of risks is based on our Manager's experience, estimates, models and assumptions. These analyses rely on models which utilize estimates of fair value and interest rate sensitivity. Actual economic conditions or implementation of decisions by our Manager and our management may produce results that differ significantly from the estimates and assumptions used in our models and the projected results.

Market Conditions

We believe that favorable market conditions, including an imbalance in supply and demand of credit to cannabis operating companies, have provided attractive opportunities for non-bank lenders, such as us, to finance commercial real estate loans and other loans that exhibit strong fundamentals but also require more customized financing structures and loan products than regulated financial institutions can presently provide. Additionally, to the extent that additional states legalize cannabis, our addressable market will increase. We intend to continue to capitalize on these opportunities and growing the size of our portfolio.

Developments During the Third Quarter of 2025

Updates to Our Loan Portfolio during the Third Quarter of 2025

In July 2025, the Company received principal repayments totaling $56.8 million, relating to the full repayment of Loans #3, #20, #29, #32, #33 and #39. In connection with the repayments prior to maturity, the Company recognized $1.0 million in prepayment fees.

In July 2025, Loan #19 was amended, which extended the maturity date from December 30, 2025 to December 30, 2027. In addition, the Company made a $2.4 million commitment add-on.

Subsequent Updates to Our Loan Portfolio

During the period from October 1, 2025 to November 3, 2025, the Company advanced approximately $3.3 million to existing borrowers and received $0.9 million and $2.3 million in scheduled and unscheduled principal repayments.

Dividends Declared Per Share

During the three months ended September 30, 2025, we declared an ordinary cash dividend of $0.47 per share of our common stock, relating to the third quarter of 2025, which was paid on October 15, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 30, 2025. The total amount of the cash dividend payment was approximately $9.9 million.

The payment of this dividend is not indicative of our ability to pay such dividends in the future.

Results of Operations

Comparison of the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024

Comparison of the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024

Loan Portfolio

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company's portfolio included loans to 26 and 30 borrowers, respectively, of which approximately $398.1 million and $402.5 million at carrying value, respectively, prior to the reserve for current expected credit losses, are classified as held for investment. The aggregate outstanding principal was approximately $399.9 million and $404.7 million as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, our portfolio of loans held for investment had a weighted-average YTM IRR of 16.5% and 17.2%, and was substantially secured by real estate and, with respect to certain of our loans, substantially all assets of the borrowers and certain of their subsidiaries, including equipment, receivables, and licenses. YTM IRR is calculated using various inputs, including (i) cash and PIK interest, which is capitalized and added to the outstanding principal balance of the applicable loan, (ii) original issue discount ("OID"), (iii) amortization, (iv) unused fees, and (v) exit fees. Certain of our loans have extension fees, which are not included in our YTM IRR calculations, but may increase YTM IRR if such extension options are exercised by borrowers.

The below table summarizes our portfolio of loans held for investment by rate type as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024:

The below summarizes our portfolio of loans held for investment as of September 30, 2025:

The following tables summarize our loans held for investment as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024:

The following tables present changes in loans held for investment at carrying value as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024:

We may make modifications to loans, including loans that are in default. Loan terms that may be modified include interest rates, required prepayments, maturity dates, covenants, principal amounts and other loan terms. The terms and conditions of each modification vary based on individual circumstances and will be determined on a case by case basis. Our Manager monitors and evaluates each of our loans held for investment and has maintained regular communications with borrowers regarding potential impacts on our loans.

Non-GAAP Measures and Key Financial Measures and Indicators

As a commercial mortgage real estate investment trust, we believe the key financial measures and indicators for our business are Distributable Earnings, Adjusted Distributable Earnings, book value per share, and dividends declared per share.

Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings

In addition to using certain financial metrics prepared in accordance with GAAP to evaluate our performance, we also use Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings to evaluate our performance. Each of Distributable Earnings and Adjusted

Distributable Earnings is a measure that is not prepared in accordance with GAAP. We define Distributable Earnings as, for a specified period, the net income (loss) computed in accordance with GAAP, excluding (i) non-cash equity compensation expense, (ii) depreciation and amortization, (iii) any unrealized gains, losses or other non-cash items recorded in net income (loss) for the period; provided that Distributable Earnings does not exclude, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as OID, debt instruments with PIK interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that we have not yet received in cash, (iv) provision for current expected credit losses and (v) one-time events pursuant to changes in GAAP and certain non-cash charges, in each case after discussions between our Manager and our independent directors and after approval by a majority of such independent directors. We define Adjusted Distributable Earnings, for a specified period, as Distributable Earnings excluding certain non-recurring organizational expenses (such as one-time expenses related to our formation and start-up).

We believe providing Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings on a supplemental basis to our net income as determined in accordance with GAAP is helpful to stockholders in assessing the overall performance of our business. As a REIT, we are required to distribute at least 90% of our annual REIT taxable income and to pay tax at regular corporate rates to the extent that we annually distribute less than 100% of such taxable income. Given these requirements and our belief that dividends are generally one of the principal reasons that stockholders invest in our common stock, we generally intend to attempt to pay dividends to our stockholders in an amount equal to our net taxable income, if and to the extent authorized by our Board. Distributable Earnings is one of many factors considered by our Board in authorizing dividends and, while not a direct measure of net taxable income, over time, the measure can be considered a useful indicator of our dividends.

Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings should not be considered as substitutes for GAAP net income. We caution readers that our methodology for calculating Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings may differ from the methodologies employed by other REITs to calculate the same or similar supplemental performance measures, and as a result, our reported Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other REITs.

The following table provides a reconciliation of GAAP net income to Distributable Earnings and Adjusted Distributable Earnings (in thousands, except per share data):

Book Value Per Share

The book value per share of our common stock as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 was approximately $14.71 and $14.83, respectively.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity is a measure of our ability to meet potential cash requirements, including ongoing commitments to repay borrowings, fund and maintain our assets and operations, make distributions to our stockholders, and meet other general business needs. We use significant cash to invest in loans, repay principal and interest on our borrowings, make distributions to our stockholders, and fund our operations.

Our primary sources of cash generally consist of unused borrowing capacity under our financing sources, the net proceeds of future offerings of equity or debt securities, payments of principal and interest we receive on our portfolio of assets and cash generated from our operating results. On a long-term basis, we expect that our primary sources of financing will be, to the extent available to us, through (a) credit facilities and (b) public and private offerings of our equity and debt securities. We may utilize other sources of financing to the extent available to us. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve and to the extent that additional states legalize cannabis, we expect the demand for capital will continue to increase as operators seek to enter and build out new markets. In the short-term, we expect the principal amount of the loans we originate will increase and that we will need to raise additional equity and/or debt financing to increase our liquidity. We expect to achieve this through recycling capital from loan paydowns, repayments, and sales of common stock related to our shelf registration statement.

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, all of our cash was unrestricted and totaled approximately $28.9 million and $26.4 million, respectively. We believe that our cash on hand, capacity available under our Revolving Loan, the Unsecured Notes and cash flows from operations for the next twelve months will be sufficient to satisfy the operating requirements of our business through at least the next twelve months. The sources of financing for our target investments are described below.

Credit Facility

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, unamortized debt issuance costs related to the Revolving Loan, including all amendments and amendments and restatements thereto, as applicable, of $271,282 and $305,075, respectively, are recorded in other receivables and assets, net on the consolidated balance sheets.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company had net paydowns of $2.6 million against the Revolving Loan. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had $57.6 million available and $52.4 million outstanding under the Revolving Loan (Note 7).

Notes Payable

On October 18, 2024 (the "Closing Date"), the Company entered into a Loan Agreement by and among the Company and the various financial institutions party thereto, for an aggregate commitment of $50.0 million in senior unsecured notes (the "Unsecured Notes"). The Unsecured Notes have a contractual four year term maturing on October 18, 2028 and bear a fixed interest rate of 9.00% per annum. The Company may prepay the Unsecured Notes at any time without penalty following the second anniversary of the Closing Date. A prepayment penalty of 3.00% and 2.00% would be due and payable in the event of prepayment prior to the first and second anniversary of the Closing Date, respectively.

The $50.0 million aggregate commitment was advanced on the closing date and proceeds were used to temporarily repay outstanding obligations on the Revolving Loan and for other working capital purposes. The Company incurred debt issuance costs of approximately $0.9 million related to Unsecured Notes, which were capitalized and offset against the outstanding face value of the Unsecured Notes within the line item titled Notes Payable, net on the consolidated balance sheets.

The Unsecured Notes provide for certain affirmative covenants, including requiring us to deliver certain financial information and any notices of default, and conducting business in the normal course. Additionally, the Company must comply with certain financial and non-financial covenants including but not limited to: (1) minimum stockholders' equity of $200.0 million, (2) maximum aggregate indebtedness of $225.0 million, subject to increase from time to time based upon ratable increases in stockholders' equity, and (3) maintenance of a credit rating. As of September 30, 2025, the Company is in compliance with all financial covenants with respect to the Unsecured Notes.

Capital Markets

We may seek to raise further equity capital and issue debt securities in order to fund our future investments in loans. Our Shelf Registration Statement became effective on January 19, 2023, allowing us to sell, from time to time in one or more offerings, up to $500 million of our securities, including common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants and rights (including as part of a unit) to purchase shares of our common stock, preferred stock, or debt securities. The specifics of any future offerings, along with the use of proceeds of any securities offered, will be described in detail in a prospectus supplement, or other offering materials, at the time of any offering. We may also access liquidity through our ATM Program, which was established in June 2023 and amended in March 2025, pursuant to which we may sell, from time to time, up to $100.0 million of our common stock.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company sold an aggregate of 64,557 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement at a weighted average price of $16.01 per share, generating net proceeds of approximately $1.0 million.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company sold an aggregate of 1,309,503 shares of the Company's common stock under the Sales Agreement at a weighted average price of $15.88 per share, generating net proceeds of approximately $20.4 million.

Cash Flows

The following table sets forth changes in cash and cash equivalents for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively:

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, we reported "Net cash provided by operating activities" of approximately $22.3 million and $21.3 million, respectively. Net cash provided by operating activities increased approximately $0.9 million, primarily attributable to a decrease in PIK interest income of $3.3 million, an increase in related party receivables of $4.7 million, and an increase in stock based compensation expense of $0.2 million, an decrease in net income over the comparable period of approximately $1.3 million, a decrease in the interest reserve for applied interest payments of approximately $2.8 million, a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses of approximately $1.4 million and a decrease in interest receivable of approximately $3.6 million, over the comparable period.

Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, we reported "Net cash provided by investing activities" of approximately $16.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, cash outflows primarily related to $59.0 million used for the origination and funding of loans held for investment, offset by cash inflows $69.5 million of cash received from the principal repayment of loans held for investment and $5.5 million of cash received from the principal repayment of loans held a fair value.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cash outflows primarily related to $75.2 million used for the origination and funding of loans held for investment, offset by cash inflows $64.2 million of cash received from the principal repayment of loans held for investment and $13.0 million of cash received from proceeds from sales of loans.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, we reported "Net cash used in financing activities" of approximately $(35.8) million and $(24.4) million, respectively.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, cash inflows of approximately $1.0 million related to proceeds received from sales of our common stock through the ATM offering and $106.1 million related to draw downs on our Revolving Loan, which were offset by $108.7 million in repayments on our Revolving Loan, approximately $33.9 million in dividends paid, approximately $151thousand in offering costs associated with the registered at-the-market offering and $132 thousand in payment of debt issuance costs.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, cash inflows of approximately $20.8 million related to proceeds received from sales of our common stock through the ATM offering and $73.5 million related to draw downs on our Revolving Loan, which were offset by $85.5 million in repayments on our Revolving Loan, approximately $32.4 million in dividends paid, approximately $113 thousand in debt issuance costs paid, and approximately $757 thousand in offering costs associated with the registered at-the-market offering.

Leverage Policies

Although we are not required to maintain any particular leverage ratio, we expect to employ prudent amounts of leverage and, when appropriate, to use debt as a means of providing additional funds for the acquisition of loans, to refinance existing debt or for general corporate purposes. Leverage is primarily used to provide capital for forward commitments until additional equity is raised or additional medium- to long-term financing is arranged. This policy is subject to change by management and our Board.

Dividends

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT for United States federal income tax purposes and, as such, anticipate annually distributing to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, prior to the deduction for dividends paid and our net capital gain. If we distribute less than 100% of our REIT taxable income in any tax year (taking into account any distributions made in a subsequent tax year under Sections 857(b)(9) or 858 of the Code), we will pay tax at regular corporate rates on that undistributed portion. Furthermore, if we distribute less than the sum of (i) 85% of our ordinary income for the calendar year, (ii) 95% of our capital gain net income for the calendar year and (iii) any Required Distribution to our stockholders during any calendar year (including any distributions declared by the last day of the calendar year but paid in the subsequent year), then we are required to pay non-deductible excise tax equal to 4% of any shortfall between the Required Distribution and the amount that was actually distributed. Any of these taxes would decrease cash available for distribution to our stockholders. The 90% distribution requirement does not require the distribution of net capital gains. However, if we elect to retain any of our net capital gain for any tax year, we must notify our stockholders and pay tax at regular corporate rates on the retained net capital gain. The stockholders must include their proportionate share of the retained net capital gain in their taxable income for the tax year, and they are deemed to have paid the REIT's tax on their proportionate share of the retained capital gain. Furthermore, such retained capital gain may be subject to the nondeductible 4% excise tax. If we determine that our estimated current year taxable income (including net capital gain) will be in excess of estimated dividend distributions (including capital gains dividends) for the current year from such income, we accrue excise tax on a portion of the estimated excess taxable income as such taxable income is earned.

To the extent that our cash available for distribution is less than the amount required to be distributed under the REIT provisions of the Code, we may be required to fund distributions from working capital or through equity, equity-related or debt financings or, in certain circumstances, asset sales, as to which our ability to consummate transactions in a timely manner on favorable terms, or at all, cannot be assured, or we may make a portion of the Required Distribution in the form of a taxable stock distribution or distribution of debt securities.

The following table summarizes the Company's dividends declared during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

CECL Reserve

In accordance with ASC 326, we record allowances for our loans held for investment. The allowances are deducted from the gross carrying amount of the assets to present the net carrying value of the amounts expected to be collected on such assets. The Company estimates its CECL Reserve using among other inputs, third-party valuations, and a third-party probability-weighted model that

considers the likelihood of default and expected loss given default for each individual loan based on the risk profile for approximately three years after which we immediately revert to use of historical loss data.

ASC 326 requires an entity to consider historical loss experience, current conditions, and a reasonable and supportable forecast of the macroeconomic environment. We consider multiple datapoints and methodologies that may include likelihood of default and expected loss given default for each individual loans, valuations derived from discounted cash flows ("DCF"), and other inputs including the risk rating of the loan, how recently the loan was originated compared to the measurement date, and expected prepayment, if applicable. The measurement of expected credit losses under CECL is applicable to financial assets measured at amortized cost, and off-balance sheet credit exposures such as unfunded loan commitments.

We evaluate our loans on a collective (pool) basis by aggregating on the basis of similar risk characteristics as explained above. We make the judgment that loans to cannabis-related borrowers that are fully collateralized by real estate exhibit similar risk characteristics and are evaluated as a pool. Further, loans that have no real estate collateral, but are secured by other forms of collateral, including equity pledges of the borrower, and otherwise have similar characteristics as those collateralized by real estate are evaluated as a pool. All other loans are analyzed individually, either because they operate in a different industry, may have a different risk profile, or have maturities that extend beyond the forecast horizon for which we are able to derive reasonable and supportable forecasts.

Estimating the CECL Reserve also requires significant judgment with respect to various factors, including (i) the appropriate historical loan loss reference data, (ii) the expected timing of loan repayments, (iii) calibration of the likelihood of default to reflect the risk characteristics of our loan portfolio, and (iv) our current and future view of the macroeconomic environment. From time to time, we may consider loan-specific qualitative factors on certain loans to estimate our CECL Reserve, which may include (i) whether cash from the borrower's operations is sufficient to cover the debt service requirements currently and into the future, (ii) the ability of the borrower to refinance the loan and (iii) the liquidation value of collateral. For loans where we have deemed the borrower/sponsor to be experiencing financial difficulty, we may elect to apply a practical expedient, in which the fair value of the underlying collateral is compared to the amortized cost of the loan in determining a CECL Reserve.

To estimate the historic loan losses relevant to our portfolio, we evaluate our historical loan performance, which includes zero realized loan losses since our inception of operations. Additionally, we analyzed our repayment history, noting we have limited "true" operating history, since the incorporation date of March 30, 2021. However, our Sponsor has had operations for the past five fiscal years and has made investments in similar loans that have similar characteristics, including interest rate, collateral coverage, guarantees, and prepayment/make whole provisions, which fall into the pools identified above.

In addition, we review each loan on a quarterly basis and evaluate the borrower's ability to pay the monthly interest and principal, if required, as well as the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. In considering the potential current expected credit loss, the Manager primarily considers significant inputs to our forecasting methods, which include (i) key loan-specific inputs such as the value of the real estate collateral, liens on equity (including the equity in the entity that holds the state-issued license to cultivate, process, distribute, or retail cannabis), presence of personal or corporate guarantees, among other credit enhancements, LTV ratio, ratio type (fixed or floating) and IRR, loan-term, geographic location, and expected timing and amount of future loan fundings, (ii) performance against the underwritten business plan and our internal loan risk rating and (iii) a macro-economic forecast. Estimating the enterprise value of our borrowers in order to calculate LTV ratios is often a significant estimate. We rely primarily on comparable transactions to estimate enterprise value of our portfolio companies and supplement such analysis with a multiple-based approach to enterprise value to revenue multiples of publicly-traded comparable companies obtained from S&P Capital IQ as of the quarter end, to which we apply a private company discount based on our current borrower profile. These estimates may change in future periods based on available future macro-economic data and might result in a material change in our future estimates of expected credit losses for our loan portfolio.

Regarding real estate collateral, we generally cannot take the position of mortgagee-in-possession as long as the property is used by a cannabis operator, but we can request that the court appoint a receiver to manage and operate the subject real property until the foreclosure proceedings are completed. Additionally, while we cannot foreclose under state Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC") and take title or sell equity in a licensed cannabis business, a potential purchaser of a delinquent or defaulted loan could.

In order to estimate the future expected loan losses relevant to our portfolio, we utilize historical market loan loss data obtained from a third-party database for commercial real estate loans, which we believe is a reasonably comparable and available data set to use as an input for our type of loans. We expect this dataset to be representative for future credit losses whilst considering that the cannabis industry is maturing, and consumer adoption, demand for production, and retail capacity are increasing akin to commercial real estate over time. For periods beyond the reasonable and supportable forecast period, we revert back to historical loss data.

All of the above assumptions, although made with the most available information at the time of the estimate, are subjective and actual activity may not follow the estimated schedule. These assumptions impact the future balances that the loss rate will be applied to and as such impact our CECL Reserve. As we acquire new loans and our Manager monitors loan and borrower performance, these estimates will be revised each period.

Risk Ratings

We assess the risk factors of each loan, and assign a risk rating based on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, payment history, real estate collateral coverage, property type, geographic and local market dynamics, financial performance, enterprise value of the portfolio company, loan structure and exit strategy, and project sponsorship. This review is performed quarterly. Based on a 5-point scale, our loans are rated "1" through "5," from less risk to greater risk, which ratings are defined as follows:

The risk ratings are primarily based on historical data and current conditions specific to each portfolio company, as well as consideration of future economic conditions and each borrower's estimated ability to meet debt service requirements. The risk ratings shown in the following table as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 consider borrower specific credit history and performance and quarterly re-evaluation of overall current macroeconomic conditions affecting the borrowers. As interest rates have increased due to rising rates from the Federal Reserve Board, it has impacted borrowers' ability to service their debt obligations on a global scale. Changes in risk ratings had an effect on the level of the CECL reserve though, other than the two loans placed on non-accrual status, the loans continued to perform as expected. For approximately 54% of the portfolio, the fair value of the underlying real estate collateral exceeded the amounts outstanding under the loans as of September 30, 2025. The remaining approximately 46% of the portfolio, while not fully collateralized by real estate, may be partially collateralized by real estate and was secured by other forms of collateral including equipment, receivables, licenses and/or other assets of the borrowers to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations governing such borrowers.

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the carrying value, excluding the CECL Reserve, of the Company's loans within each risk rating by year of origination is as follows:

Accounting Policies and Estimates

As of September 30, 2025, there were no significant changes in the application of our accounting policies or estimates from those presented in our annual report on Form 10-K. Refer to Note 2 to our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, titled "Significant Accounting Policies" for information on recent accounting pronouncements.