Affirm Holdings Inc vs Ares Capital Corporation — how do they compare? Affirm Holdings Inc trades at $76.99 (market cap $25.30B), while Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B). The key difference: Affirm Holdings Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Affirm Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AFRM | ARCC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $25.30B | $14.35B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $92.18 | $22.68 |
52-Week Low | $42.53 | $17.45 |
Enterprise Value | $31.91B | — |
Dividend Yield | — | 9.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AFRM trades at $75.25, down 1.74% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported strong revenue growth to $3.22B in 2025, turning profitable with net income of $52.19M, and has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Positive sentiment is driven by analyst optimism and expanding merchant partnerships.
Outlook remains favorable with a consensus price target of $96.00, indicating 28% upside. Risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 68.41) and sensitivity to interest rate changes. Continued execution on growth and profitability will be key for stock performance.
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
Affirm Holdings Inc offers a platform for digital and mobile first commerce. It comprises a point-of-sale payment solution for consumers, merchant commerce solutions, and a consumer-focused app. The firm generates its revenue from merchant networks, and through virtual card networks among others. Geographically, it generates a major share of its revenue from the United States.
Read more on AFRM →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 →