Ares Capital Corporation vs ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.99 (market cap $14.35B), while ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. trades at $16.71 (market cap $2.05B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is far larger — about 7× ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc.'s market cap, and ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. pays the higher dividend (17.41%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | ARR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $2.05B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $19.12 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $14.05 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 17.41% |
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.
ARMOUR Residential REIT (ARR) trades at $16.68, up 0.79% with a bullish technical signal despite mixed earnings performance. The REIT shows strong profitability with 97.43% net income margin and 19.74% ROE, trading below book value at P/B of 0.92. Recent quarterly results show alternating beats and misses, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.72 slightly missing expectations. The company maintains consistent dividend payments of $0.24 quarterly, supporting income investor appeal.
ARR presents a value opportunity with attractive dividend yield but faces earnings volatility and high leverage risks. Analyst consensus is cautious with 60% hold ratings, reflecting concerns about mortgage REIT sensitivity to interest rates. The stock's technical position near key support at $16 suggests near-term stability, but investors should monitor interest rate environment impacts on mortgage-backed securities portfolio performance.
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 →ARMOUR Residential REIT Inc is a real estate investment trust that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities or RMBS. These are issued or guaranteed by U.S.-government-sponsored enterprises, such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. The company's investment portfolio is composed of mortgage-backed securities, adjustable-rate mortgage securities, and multifamily mortgage-backed securities. In terms of total fair value, most Armour's investments are long-term, fixed-rate agency RMBS. Multifamily RMBS also represents a substantial amount. Fannie Mae guarantees most of the company's holdings. Armour derives substantially all its revenue as interest income from its investments.
Read more on ARR →