AES Corp vs Carlyle Group Inc — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.66 (market cap $10.51B), while Carlyle Group Inc trades at $48.27 (market cap $17.20B). The key difference: Carlyle Group Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.78%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | CG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $17.20B |
Sector | Utilities | Financials |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $69.35 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $40.52 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | — |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | 2.93% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AES trades at $14.73, up 0.2% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong profitability with a net income margin of 14.34% and ROE of 45.05% for 2025, though Q2 2026 EPS missed expectations. A pending $33.4 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, approved by stockholders, dominates recent developments, alongside a consistent dividend payout.
The acquisition offers a near-term catalyst with a capped upside at the buyout price of $15 per share, presenting a low-risk arbitrage opportunity. Risks include deal completion uncertainty amid shareholder complaints and regulatory scrutiny. Analyst consensus is mixed with 43% buy ratings, reflecting cautious optimism tied to the acquisition's successful closure and the company's strategic shift toward renewable energy investments.
CG trades at $47.79, down 2.23% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and support at $47. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations (EPS $1.07 vs. $0.911), though revenue declined to $2.9B in 2026. The company maintains a strong net income margin of 18.85% and announced strategic partnerships, including a $600M deal with Prime Capital Financial (Business Wire, 2026-08-06).
Outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is bullish with a $59.14 price target (53.84% buy ratings), but risks include volatile cash flow from operations (-$4.2B in 2026) and high P/E of 49.78. Investors may see upside from fundraising strength, though margin compression and macroeconomic headwinds warrant caution.
Trailing returns across standard periods
AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →The Carlyle Group is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $376.4 billion in total assets under management, including $259.6 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of June 2022. The company has three core business segments: private equity, which includes private equity, real estate, infrastructure and natural resources funds (accounting for 41% of fee-earning AUM and 65% of base management fees during 2021), global credit (45% and 24%) and investment solutions (14% and 11%). The firm primarily serves institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals. Carlyle operates through 29 offices across five continents, serving close to 2,700 active carry fund investors from 95 countries.
Read more on CG →