Price movement over the last 24 hours
Automatic Data Processing Inc vs Ares Capital Corporation — how do they compare? Automatic Data Processing Inc trades at $241.91 (market cap $98.17B), while Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.35 (market cap $13.26B). The key difference: Automatic Data Processing Inc is far larger — about 7.4× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (10.4%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ADP | ARCC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $98.17B | $13.26B |
Sector | Industrials | Financials |
52-Week High | $310.94 | $23.25 |
52-Week Low | $188.79 | $17.45 |
Enterprise Value | $99.24B | — |
Dividend Yield | 2.77% | 10.4% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ADP trades at $245.60, up 1.37% on the day, near its 52-week high. The stock shows bullish technical signals with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Revenue grew to $20.56 billion in 2025, with a net income margin of 20.12%. Analyst sentiment is mixed, with a consensus hold rating but a technical outlook suggesting strength. The company maintains strong profitability metrics and recently announced a dividend payment.
Outlook remains stable with projected revenue growth to $21.6 billion in 2026. Risks include competitive pressures and economic sensitivity. Opportunities lie in AI integration and margin expansion. The stock offers value through dividends and steady performance, though valuation multiples are elevated relative to historical averages.
ARCC trades at $18.47, down 1.39% on the day, near its consensus low price target of $18.50. The stock shows neutral technical signals with mixed moving averages and oscillators. Recent quarterly EPS results have missed expectations, though the company maintains a high net income margin of 84.5%. A dividend of $0.48 is scheduled for payment on June 30, 2026, supporting income-focused strategies.
Outlook remains cautiously optimistic given strong analyst support (24 Buy, 8 Hold) and a $20.58 consensus target implying ~11% upside. Risks include earnings misses and revenue declines from $1.7B in 2024 to a projected $1.4B in 2026. The stock's P/E of 11.39 and P/B of 0.95 suggest reasonable valuation amid execution challenges.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
ADP is a provider of payroll and human capital management solutions servicing the full scope of businesses from micro to global enterprises. ADP was established in 1949 and serves over 990,000 clients primarily in the United States. ADP's employer services segment offers payroll, HCM solutions, HR outsourcing, insurance and retirement services. The smaller but faster-growing PEO segment provides HR outsourcing solutions to small and midsize businesses through a co-employment model.
Read more on ADP →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 →