American Tower Corp vs Ares Capital Corporation — how do they compare? American Tower Corp trades at $169.8 (market cap $78.80B), while Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B). The key difference: American Tower Corp is far larger — about 5.5× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMT | ARCC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $78.80B | $14.35B |
Sector | Real Estate | Financials |
52-Week High | $211.88 | $22.68 |
52-Week Low | $162.11 | $17.45 |
Enterprise Value | $122.32B | — |
Dividend Yield | 4.13% | 9.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
American Tower (AMT) trades at $172.54, up 0.78% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamental performance. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.86 exceeding the $1.57 forecast. Revenue for 2025 reached $10.64 billion, with a robust net income margin of 26.81%. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with 39 of 49 analysts rating it a Buy and a consensus price target of $206.17, implying significant upside. Recent news highlights insider selling and upbeat analyst coverage.
The outlook for AMT is favorable, driven by resilient telecom demand, 5G/6G expansion, and double-digit growth in its data center segment. Key risks include sensitivity to interest rates, Dish Network churn impacts, and high debt levels. With strong cash flow from operations and a bullish analyst consensus, the stock presents a compelling opportunity for growth-oriented investors, though macroeconomic factors warrant monitoring.
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
American Tower owns and operates more than 220,000 cell towers throughout the U.S., Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It also owns and/or operates 25 data centers in eight U.S. markets after acquiring CoreSite. On its towers, the company has a very concentrated customer base, with most revenue in each market being generated by just the top few mobile carriers. The company operates more than 40,000 towers in the U.S., which accounted for more than half of its total revenue in 2021. Outside the U.S., American Tower's greatest presence is in India and Brazil, where it operates roughly 75,000 and 19,000 towers, respectively. American Tower operates as a real estate investment trust.
Read more on AMT →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 →