Ares Capital Corporation vs ARK Innovation ETF — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B), while ARK Innovation ETF trades at $80.51. The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while ARK Innovation ETF pays none, and ARK Innovation ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ares Capital Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | ARKK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | — |
Sector | Financials | — |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $92.50 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $63.52 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) trades at $79.43, up 4.89% today with strong technical momentum as moving averages signal bullish alignment. The ETF faces mixed sentiment with recent Seeking Alpha articles highlighting concentration risks in SpaceX and Tesla holdings while Cathie Wood continues aggressive AI stock purchases. Technical indicators show RSI at overbought levels near 82, suggesting potential near-term consolidation despite the bullish trend.
Outlook remains polarized between innovation optimism and valuation concerns. The fund's heavy exposure to speculative tech names offers growth potential but carries significant volatility risk. Recent underperformance versus broad market indices and high fee structure present headwinds, while continued institutional interest in disruptive technologies provides long-term catalysts.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →The fund will invest under normal circumstances primarily (at least 65% of its assets) in domestic and foreign equity securities of companies that are relevant to the fund’s investment theme of disruptive innovation. Its investments in foreign equity securities will be in both developed and emerging markets. The fund may invest in foreign securities listed on foreign exchanges as well as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on ARKK →