Ares Capital Corporation vs British American Tobacco PLC — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.94 (market cap $14.35B), while British American Tobacco PLC trades at $56.92 (market cap $122.96B). The key difference: British American Tobacco PLC is far larger — about 8.6× 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.
| ARCC | BTI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $122.96B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $66.70 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $50.39 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 5.85% |
Enterprise Value | — | $166.84B |
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.
BTI trades at $59.33, up 1.02% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamentals including a P/E of 15.15, net income margin of 24.99%, and consistent earnings beats. Recent news highlights growth in next-generation products like Velo, though restructuring and regulatory pressures persist.
The outlook is mixed: valuation appears attractive with a 5%+ dividend yield, but declining operating cash flow and bearish technicals suggest near-term headwinds. Risks include regulatory scrutiny and combustible product declines, while analyst consensus leans bullish with 12 buy ratings.
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 →Following the acquisition of Reynolds American, British American Tobacco is neck-and-neck with Philip Morris International to be the largest listed global tobacco company--slightly larger than PMI on net revenue, but slightly smaller on total tobacco volume. British American's Global Drive Brands are Dunhill, Kent, Pall Mall, Lucky Strike, and Rothmans, and it also owns Newport and Camel in the U.S. The firm also sells vapor e-cigarettes, including its Vype brand, heated tobacco, with Glo, as well as roll- your-own and smokeless tobacco products. The company holds 31% of ITC Limited, the leading Indian cigarette-maker.
Read more on BTI →