Ares Commercial Real Estate (NYSE: ACRE) holders back directors, auditor and pay at 2026 meeting
Filing Impact
Filing Sentiment
Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation reported shareholder voting results from its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on May 27, 2026. Stockholders elected Class II directors William S. Benjamin and Caroline E. Blakely to serve until the 2029 annual meeting and until their successors are elected and qualify.
Stockholders also ratified Ernst & Young LLP as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, with 36,662,962 votes for, 328,926 against and 2,908,831 abstentions. In addition, they approved, on a non‑binding advisory basis, the compensation of the company’s named executive officers, with 19,848,823 votes for, 2,518,989 against, 283,582 abstentions and 17,249,325 broker non‑votes.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
8-K Event Classification
Item 5.07 — Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
1 item
Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Governance
Results of a shareholder vote on proposals at an annual or special meeting.
Key Figures
Votes for Benjamin: 15,754,104 votes
Votes for Blakely: 15,832,783 votes
Auditor ratification for: 36,662,962 votes
+4 more
7 metrics
Votes for Benjamin
15,754,104 votes
Election of Class II director William S. Benjamin
Votes for Blakely
15,832,783 votes
Election of Class II director Caroline E. Blakely
Auditor ratification for
36,662,962 votes
Ratification of Ernst & Young LLP for fiscal year ending December 31, 2026
Auditor ratification against
328,926 votes
Votes against Ernst & Young LLP ratification
Say-on-pay for
19,848,823 votes
Non-binding advisory approval of named executive officer compensation
Say-on-pay against
2,518,989 votes
Non-binding advisory vote against named executive officer compensation
Broker non-votes
17,249,325 shares
Broker non-votes on director elections and advisory compensation proposal
Key Terms
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, independent registered public accounting firm, non-binding, advisory basis, broker non-votes, +1 more
5 terms
Annual Meeting of Stockholders financial
"held its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”)."
independent registered public accounting firm financial
"ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm"
An independent registered public accounting firm is an outside accounting company officially registered with the government regulator to examine and report on a public company's financial records and controls. Investors treat its reports like an impartial inspector’s certificate — they add credibility to financial statements, help spot errors or misleading claims, and reduce the risk that shareholders are relying on unchecked or biased numbers.
non-binding, advisory basis financial
"approved on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers."
broker non-votes financial
"VOTES FOR | VOTES WITHHELD | BROKER NON-VOTES"
Broker non-votes occur when a brokerage firm is unable to vote on a shareholder’s behalf during a company election or decision because the shareholder has not given specific voting instructions, and the broker is not allowed or chooses not to vote on certain matters. They are important because they can affect the outcome of votes, especially when the results are close, by effectively reducing the total number of votes cast.
named executive officers financial
"the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers."
Named executive officers are the senior company leaders whose names, roles and compensation are singled out in required regulatory filings; this typically includes the chief executive, chief financial officer and the next highest‑paid senior officers. Investors treat this list like a team roster — it shows who makes key decisions, how they are paid and whether incentives align with shareholder interests, so changes or pay patterns can signal governance quality, risk or strategic shifts.
FAQ
What did Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) stockholders vote on at the 2026 annual meeting?
Stockholders voted on three key items: electing two Class II directors, ratifying Ernst & Young LLP as auditor for 2026, and approving on a non-binding basis the compensation of named executive officers, all of which received shareholder approval.
Who was elected to the Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) board at the 2026 annual meeting?
Stockholders elected Class II directors William S. Benjamin and Caroline E. Blakely. They will serve until the company’s 2029 annual meeting of stockholders and remain in office until their successors are duly elected and qualify under the company’s governance framework.
Did Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) stockholders ratify the company’s auditor for 2026?
Yes. Stockholders ratified Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, with 36,662,962 votes for, 328,926 votes against and 2,908,831 votes abstaining, confirming the audit firm’s appointment.
How did Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) stockholders vote on executive compensation in 2026?
Stockholders approved, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation of the company’s named executive officers. The vote totaled 19,848,823 for, 2,518,989 against, 283,582 abstentions and 17,249,325 broker non-votes, indicating overall support for the disclosed pay program.
What are broker non-votes in the Ares Commercial Real Estate (ACRE) 2026 meeting results?
Broker non-votes are shares held by brokers that were not voted on certain proposals. In the 2026 meeting, director elections and the advisory vote on executive compensation each showed 17,249,325 broker non-votes, reflecting uninstructed shares on these matters.