SKINNER JAMES E 4

What Happened

• James E. Skinner, a director of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (ACRE), received a grant of 18,879 restricted common shares on 2026-04-29. The Form 4 reports an acquisition price of $0 (standard for restricted-stock awards); total reported value is $0 on the filing.
• This transaction is an equity award (not an open-market purchase or sale) and represents compensation/retention stock rather than an immediate investment purchase or sale.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-04-29; Form 4 filed: 2026-05-01 (appears timely).
• Transaction type/code: A — Award/Grant of restricted stock.
• Shares granted: 18,879; reported acquisition price: $0.
• Shares owned after transaction: not specified in the provided filing.
• Footnote: The restricted shares vest ratably on a quarterly basis over one year, beginning on the first business day of each fiscal quarter starting July 1, 2026 (per filing footnote F1).

Context

• Restricted stock grants are common director compensation and are subject to vesting conditions; they do not indicate an immediate sale or exercise and should not be read as a direct market-timing signal.
• For retail investors, outright purchases (P) or sales (S) are generally more informative about an insider’s trading stance than awards (A), which are typically part of routine compensation.