Albertsons Companies Inc vs Ares Capital Corporation — how do they compare? Albertsons Companies Inc trades at $12.08 (market cap $5.89B), while Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.94 (market cap $14.35B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is far larger — about 2.4× Albertsons Companies Inc's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ACI | ARCC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $5.89B | $14.35B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Financials |
52-Week High | $19.74 | $22.68 |
52-Week Low | $11.03 | $17.45 |
Enterprise Value | $21.29B | — |
Dividend Yield | 5.61% | 9.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Albertsons (ACI) trades at $12.01, down 0.58% with bearish technical signals despite recent insider buying by the CEO and CFO. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings with a miss on EPS expectations but maintains strong revenue growth trends. Valuation metrics show a high P/E ratio of 75.06 but attractive P/S of 0.08, while profitability remains challenged with net margins at just 0.08%.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst consensus at Buy (35%) but significant legal investigations and margin pressure creating headwinds. The $13.20 price target offers 10% upside potential, though execution risks and competitive grocery market dynamics require careful monitoring for sustained recovery.
ARCC trades at $20.01, up 1.99% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. Recent earnings show Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47, slightly below the $0.4731 estimate, continuing a trend of minor misses. Revenue declined to $1.51B in 2025 from $1.7B in 2024, with net income margin at 81.77%. The stock offers a high dividend yield, with consistent payouts highlighted in recent news.
Outlook is mixed: strong analyst buy consensus (75%) and a stable dividend history support income investors, but declining revenue and tight dividend coverage pose risks. Price target consensus is $19.63, below the current price, suggesting limited upside. Macro risks in private credit, per WSJ on August 9, 2026, add caution.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Albertsons is the second-largest traditional grocer in America, operating 2,276 stores under 24 banners in 34 states (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Around 75% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 20% also sell fuel. Albertsons has a significant private-label operation, accounting for around 20% of sales (excluding fuel). While its own brand assortment is mainly manufactured by third parties, Albertsons operates 20 food production plants (as of the end of fiscal 2021). Albertsons is a top-two grocer in two thirds of its major markets (as of early 2022, according to company data), and virtually all of its sales come from the United States.
Read more on ACI →Ares Capital Corp is a United States-based closed-ended specialty finance company. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company focuses on investing primarily in U.S. middle-market companies with investment opportunities as well as in larger companies. Its portfolio comprises of first lien senior secured loans, second lien senior secured loans, and mezzanine debt (subordinated unsecured loan), which may include equity components that are diversified by industry and sector. The company may invest in preferred and common equity investments to a lesser proportion. Its revenue mainly consists of interest and dividend income received from the investment made.
Read more on ARCC →