Ares Capital Corporation vs Axon Enterprise Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.9 (market cap $14.34B), while Axon Enterprise Inc trades at $596.37 (market cap $51.69B). The key difference: Axon Enterprise Inc is far larger — about 3.6× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Axon Enterprise Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | AXON | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $51.69B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $791.62 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $345.94 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $52.83B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.875, down 0.53% on the day, with strong analyst support showing 24 buy ratings and a consensus price target of $19.63. The stock maintains a bullish technical signal with moving averages supporting upward momentum, though oscillators indicate some near-term pressure. Recent earnings showed Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47, slightly below expectations, while the company continues its 17-year dividend streak with consistent $0.48 quarterly payments.
The outlook remains positive with solid fundamentals including 81.77% net income margin and 6.88% ROE, though investors should monitor declining revenue trends from $1.7B in 2024 to projected $1.2B in 2026. Key risks include private credit market strain and dividend coverage tightening to 104%, while institutional confidence remains high with no sell ratings among 32 analysts covering the stock.
Axon Enterprise trades at $595.63, showing slight consolidation after recent strength with a bullish technical outlook. The company delivered strong Q2 2026 results with 35% revenue growth and raised full-year guidance, though valuation metrics remain elevated with a P/E of 265. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with 81% buy ratings and a $685 consensus target.
Axon's razor-and-blade model drives hardware adoption and high-margin software growth, supported by AI capabilities and $15.1B in future contracted bookings. Key risks include valuation concerns, gross margin pressure from service mix, and execution challenges in scaling new products. The stock offers growth exposure but requires monitoring of margin trends.
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 →Axon develops technology and weapons for law enforcement and military use. Its ecosystem includes TASER devices, body cameras, and Evidence.com, a cloud-based platform for digital evidence management.
Read more on AXON →