Aon PLC vs Ares Capital Corporation — how do they compare? Aon PLC trades at $356.48 (market cap $75.72B), while Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B). The key difference: Aon PLC is far larger — about 5.3× 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.
| AON | ARCC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $75.72B | $14.35B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $381.26 | $22.68 |
52-Week Low | $308.22 | $17.45 |
Enterprise Value | $90.33B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.92% | 9.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AON trades at $358.3, down 0.68% on the day, with a neutral technical signal. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating EPS estimates with $3.81 versus $3.8 expected, driven by 5% organic revenue growth. Valuation metrics include a P/E of 19.75 and P/S of 4.39, while profitability remains robust with a net income margin of 22.27% and ROE of 44.88%. Recent news highlights institutional buying and a new executive appointment.
The outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $410, implying 14% upside, supported by earnings momentum and solid cash flow. Risks include premium valuation concerns and modest organic growth. Analyst sentiment is balanced with 47% buy ratings, but high debt levels and competitive pressures warrant caution for investors.
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
Aon is a leading global provider of insurance and reinsurance brokerage and human resource solutions. Its operations are tilted toward its brokerage operations. Headquartered in London, Aon has about 50,000 employees and operations in 120 countries around the world.
Read more on AON →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 →