Deutsche Banks Picks Two Winners Within The Real Estate Finance Group

On Friday, Stephen Laws of Deutsche Bank named

and

as the two most attractive names within the Real Estate finance Group. The analyst notes the two companies will both benefit from numerous potential catalysts, management's track record of sourcing new investments and unlocking shareholder value. According to Laws, potential near term catalysts for NorthStar Realty Finance may include its upcoming third quarter results next Thursday, inclusion in the MSCI US REIT Index, an announcement to spin off its mortgage REIT assets in addition to new investments in hotels and/or European assets. Potential near term catalysts for Northstar Asset Management Group, according to the analyst includes the company's third quarter results also due next Thursday, a launch of a new non-traded fund, the closing of its Griffin-American acquisition, a forward sale agreement to fund fourth quarter investments and the NorthStar/RXR New York Metro non-traded REIT which will begin raising capital. Laws rates NorthStar Realty Finance Buy rated with a $21 price target. The analyst notes that his price target improves to $24 to $26 per share if the company splits itself into multiple stand-alone companies. Laws rates Northstar Asset Management Group Buy rated with a $25.50 per share price target.