Ares Capital Corporation vs Arqit Quantum Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $20.01 (market cap $14.35B), while Arqit Quantum Inc trades at $24.39 (market cap $392.69M). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is far larger — about 36.5× Arqit Quantum Inc's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Arqit Quantum Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | ARQQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $392.69M |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $58.27 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $11.78 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $366.00M |
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.
ARQQ trades at $22.90, up 6.66% with bullish technical signals from moving averages and ADX indicators. The company shows explosive revenue growth (829% YoY in H1 FY26) but remains deeply unprofitable with a -4,508% net margin and negative cash flow from operations. Recent news highlights quantum-safe encryption partnerships and government contract wins, though financial sustainability concerns persist.
The stock presents high-risk speculation on quantum security adoption versus fundamental weaknesses. Upside depends on commercializing technology into sustainable profits, while downside risks include cash burn and competitive threats. Analyst consensus is split 50/50 buy/hold with no institutional conviction evident in current financial metrics.
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 →Arqit Quantum provides advanced cybersecurity software that uses symmetric key agreement technology. Its solutions protect networked devices and data against current and future cyber threats, including quantum attacks.
Read more on ARQQ →