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Elme Communities (ELME) Stock Fundamental Analysis & AI Rating 2026

ELME NYSE Real Estate Investment Trusts MD CIK: 0000104894
Updated This Month • Analysis: Mar 24, 2026 • SEC Data: 2025-12-31
Combined AI Rating
SELL
75% Confidence
NEUTRAL
STRONG SELL
92% Conf
HOLD
58% Conf

📊 ELME Key Takeaways

Revenue: $20.7M
Net Margin: -108.4%
Free Cash Flow: $61.9M
Current Ratio: N/A
Debt/Equity: 0.10x
EPS: $-0.25
AI Rating: STRONG SELL with 92% confidence
Elme Communities (ELME) receives a SELL rating with 75% confidence from our AI fundamental analysis based on SEC 10-K filings. With revenue of $20.7M, net profit margin of -108.4%, and return on equity (ROE) of -2.5%, Elme Communities demonstrates mixed fundamentals in the Real Estate sector. Below is our complete ELME stock analysis for 2026.

Is Elme Communities (ELME) a Good Investment?

Claude

Elme Communities exhibits severely deteriorated fundamentals with operating losses of $122.2M against minimal revenue of $20.7M, indicating fundamental business model distress rather than temporary cyclicality. The company's negative operating margins of -591.4% and negative returns on equity/assets signal value destruction, despite maintaining a strong cash position and manageable debt levels that provide only temporary financial flexibility.

ChatGPT

Elme Communities shows a mixed fundamental profile: operating and net profitability are weak, but operating cash flow remains positive and leverage appears modest based on reported long-term debt. The balance sheet and margin data contain notable inconsistencies, so the company looks financially stable enough to avoid an outright bearish view, but not fundamentally strong enough to justify a bullish rating.

Why Buy Elme Communities Stock? ELME Key Strengths

Claude
  • + Strong liquidity position with $1.3B in cash equivalents representing 61.9% of total assets
  • + Low leverage with debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10x providing financial flexibility
  • + Positive operating cash flow of $62.2M and free cash flow of $61.9M indicate cash generation despite GAAP losses
ChatGPT
  • + Positive operating cash flow and free cash flow generation despite reported net losses
  • + Low reported long-term debt relative to equity, suggesting limited balance-sheet leverage
  • + Large reported cash balance provides liquidity support if accurate

ELME Stock Risks: Elme Communities Investment Risks

Claude
  • ! Massive operating losses of $122.2M with negative operating margin of -591.4% indicating severe operational distress
  • ! Negative net income of $22.4M with negative net margin of -108.4% destroying shareholder value
  • ! Abnormally high gross margin of 627.9% and gross profit exceeding revenue suggests accounting irregularities or non-recurring gains masking operational deterioration
  • ! Negative return metrics (ROE -2.5%, ROA -1.1%) indicate systematic value destruction
  • ! Zero insider purchases over 90 days suggests management lacks confidence in company direction
ChatGPT
  • ! Severely negative operating and net margins indicate weak underlying profitability
  • ! Reported financials show major data inconsistencies, reducing confidence in ratio-based conclusions
  • ! Liabilities remain high relative to assets and equity, which could pressure flexibility if cash flow weakens

Key Metrics to Watch

Claude
  • * Operating income trend and path to profitability
  • * Gross profit composition and identification of non-recurring items
  • * Cash burn rate and runway given accumulated losses
  • * Revenue growth and operational efficiency improvements
  • * Management insider buying activity as confidence indicator
ChatGPT
  • * Normalized funds from operations or recurring operating cash flow
  • * Occupancy, rental revenue growth, and same-store NOI trend

Elme Communities (ELME) Financial Metrics & Key Ratios

Revenue
$20.7M
Net Income
$-22.4M
EPS (Diluted)
$-0.25
Free Cash Flow
$61.9M
Total Assets
$2.1B
Cash Position
$1.3B

💡 AI Analyst Insight

The 299.7% free cash flow margin provides substantial flexibility for dividends, buybacks, and strategic investments. The current ratio below 1.0x warrants monitoring of short-term liquidity.

ELME Profit Margin, ROE & Profitability Analysis

Gross Margin 627.9%
Operating Margin -591.4%
Net Margin -108.4%
ROE -2.5%
ROA -1.1%
FCF Margin 299.7%

ELME vs Real Estate Sector: How Elme Communities Compares

How Elme Communities compares to Real Estate sector averages

Net Margin
ELME -108.4%
vs
Sector Avg 20.0%
ELME Sector
ROE
ELME -2.5%
vs
Sector Avg 8.0%
ELME Sector
Current Ratio
ELME 0.0x
vs
Sector Avg 1.5x
ELME Sector
Debt/Equity
ELME 0.1x
vs
Sector Avg 1.5x
ELME Sector

Sector benchmarks are approximate industry averages. Actual sector performance may vary.

Is Elme Communities Stock Overvalued? ELME Valuation Analysis 2026

Based on fundamental analysis, Elme Communities has mixed fundamental signals relative to the Real Estate sector in 2026.

Return on Equity
-2.5%
Sector avg: 8%
Net Profit Margin
-108.4%
Sector avg: 20%
Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Debt/Equity
0.10x
Sector avg: 1.5x

Note: This is a fundamental analysis based on SEC filings. For P/E ratio, price targets, and market-based valuation, consult financial data providers. This is not investment advice.

Elme Communities Balance Sheet: ELME Debt, Cash & Liquidity

Current Ratio
N/A
Quick Ratio
N/A
Debt/Equity
0.10x
Debt/Assets
88.7%
Interest Coverage
-14.53x
Long-term Debt
$91.9M

ELME Revenue & Earnings Growth: 5-Year Financial Trend

ELME 5-year financial data: Year 2021: Revenue $176.7M, Net Income $383.6M, EPS $4.75. Year 2022: Revenue $209.4M, Net Income -$15.7M, EPS $-0.20. Year 2023: Revenue $227.9M, Net Income $16.4M, EPS $0.19. Year 2024: Revenue $241.9M, Net Income -$30.9M, EPS $-0.36. Year 2025: Revenue $241.9M, Net Income -$53.0M, EPS $-0.61.
Revenue
Net Income
EPS (right axis)

5-Year Trend Summary: Elme Communities's revenue has grown significantly by 37% over the 5-year period, indicating strong business expansion. The most recent EPS of $-0.61 indicates the company is currently unprofitable.

ELME Revenue Growth, EPS Growth & YoY Performance

Revenue Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
Net Income Growth
N/A
Year-over-year
EPS Growth
N/A
Earnings per share
FCF Margin
299.7%
Free cash flow / Revenue

ELME Quarterly Earnings & Performance

Quarterly financial performance data for Elme Communities including revenue, net income, and earnings per share.
Quarter Revenue Net Income EPS
Q3 2025 $61.1M -$3.0M $-0.03
Q2 2025 $60.1M -$3.5M $-0.04
Q1 2025 $59.5M -$3.6M $-0.04
Q3 2024 $56.7M -$3.0M $-0.03
Q2 2024 $56.6M -$2.6M $-0.03
Q1 2024 $55.8M -$3.6M $-0.04
Q3 2023 $54.6M -$10.7M $-0.12
Q2 2023 $51.4M -$2.6M $-0.03

Data sourced from SEC EDGAR 10-Q quarterly filings. Figures may represent quarterly or cumulative values.

Elme Communities Dividends, Buybacks & Capital Allocation

Operating Cash Flow
$62.2M
Cash generated from operations
Capital Expenditures
$317.0K
Investment in assets
Dividends Paid
$63.7M
Returned to shareholders

ELME SEC Filings: Latest 10-K & 10-Q Analysis

Access official SEC EDGAR filings for Elme Communities (CIK: 0000104894)

📋 Recent SEC Filings

Date Form Document Action
Feb 27, 2026 10-K elme-20251231.htm View →
Jan 23, 2026 8-K elme-20260121.htm View →
Dec 16, 2025 4 xslF345X05/edgardoc.xml View →
Dec 16, 2025 4 xslF345X05/edgardoc.xml View →
Dec 16, 2025 4 xslF345X05/edgardoc.xml View →

Frequently Asked Questions about ELME

What is the AI rating for ELME?

Elme Communities (ELME) has a Combined AI Rating of SELL from Claude (STRONG SELL) and ChatGPT (HOLD) with 75% combined confidence, based on fundamental analysis of SEC EDGAR filings.

What are ELME's key strengths?

Claude: Strong liquidity position with $1.3B in cash equivalents representing 61.9% of total assets. Low leverage with debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10x providing financial flexibility. ChatGPT: Positive operating cash flow and free cash flow generation despite reported net losses. Low reported long-term debt relative to equity, suggesting limited balance-sheet leverage.

What are the risks of investing in ELME?

Claude: Massive operating losses of $122.2M with negative operating margin of -591.4% indicating severe operational distress. Negative net income of $22.4M with negative net margin of -108.4% destroying shareholder value. ChatGPT: Severely negative operating and net margins indicate weak underlying profitability. Reported financials show major data inconsistencies, reducing confidence in ratio-based conclusions.

What is ELME's revenue and growth?

Elme Communities reported revenue of $20.7M.

Does ELME pay dividends?

Elme Communities pays dividends, with $63.7M distributed to shareholders in the trailing twelve months.

Where can I find ELME SEC filings?

Official SEC filings for Elme Communities (CIK: 0000104894) including 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K reports are available on SEC EDGAR.

What is ELME's EPS?

Elme Communities has a diluted EPS of $-0.25.

How is the AI analysis conducted?

Two independent AI systems — Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) — analyze SEC EDGAR filings including 10-K annual reports and 10-Q quarterly reports. Each AI evaluates financial health, profitability ratios, balance sheet strength, and growth metrics. The combined rating reflects both perspectives for balanced insights.

Is ELME a good stock to buy right now?

Based on our AI fundamental analysis in April 2026, Elme Communities has a SELL rating with 75% confidence. Review the strengths and risks sections above before making a decision. This is not investment advice.

Is ELME stock overvalued or undervalued?

Valuation metrics for ELME: ROE of -2.5% (sector avg: 8%), net margin of -108.4% (sector avg: 20%). Compare these metrics with sector averages to assess valuation.

Should I buy ELME stock in 2026?

Our dual AI analysis gives Elme Communities a combined SELL rating for 2026. Revenue is data pending, with profitability at or below sector average. Always conduct your own research.

What is ELME's free cash flow?

Elme Communities's operating cash flow is $62.2M, with capital expenditures of $317.0K. FCF margin is 299.7%.

How does ELME compare to other Real Estate stocks?

Vs Real Estate sector averages: Net margin -108.4% (avg: 20%), ROE -2.5% (avg: 8%), current ratio N/A (avg: 1.5).

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Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by Claude AI (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI) based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: Mar 24, 2026 | Data as of: 2025-12-31 | Powered by Claude AI