Compare Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) vs Cardinal Health Inc (CAH) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Ares Capital Corporation vs Cardinal Health Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.86 (market cap $14.34B), while Cardinal Health Inc trades at $234.16 (market cap $55.88B). The key difference: Cardinal Health Inc is far larger — about 3.9× 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 | CAH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $55.88B |
Sector | Financials | Health |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $240.26 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $146.04 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 0.86% |
Enterprise Value | — | $59.91B |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.87, down 0.55% with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported $1.51B revenue and $1.30B net income for 2025, maintaining an 86.25% profit margin. Recent earnings show slight misses against expectations, but dividend coverage remains stable at 104% with a 9.9% yield. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 24 buy ratings and a $19.63 price target.
The stock presents income appeal with its high dividend yield and stable payout history, though recent earnings compression and rising non-accruals to 2.4% signal credit quality concerns. Private credit sector strain and potential rate cuts pose medium-term risks to net investment income, which is 71% variable-rate exposed.
Cardinal Health (CAH) trades at $235.3, down 0.79% on the day, but remains near its 52-week high. The stock exhibits a bullish technical signal with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters, including Q2 2026 EPS of $2.91 versus $2.42 expected. Revenue for fiscal 2025 was $222.58 billion, with net income reaching $1.56 billion. Analyst consensus is strongly positive, with 18 buys and a $266.43 price target, reflecting confidence in the company's pharmaceutical and specialty business growth.
The outlook for CAH is favorable, driven by robust earnings performance and optimistic fiscal 2027 guidance. Key opportunities include sustained demand for specialty drugs and operational efficiency gains. Risks involve high debt levels, with a debt-to-asset ratio of 16.09 in 2025, and competitive pressures in the healthcare distribution sector. Investors should weigh strong analyst support against balance sheet leverage and market volatility.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Ares Capital Corporation
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 →About Cardinal Health Inc
Cardinal Health is a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler, engaged in the sourcing and distribution of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail-order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with AmerisourceBergen and McKesson, the three compose well over 90% of the U.S. pharmaceutical wholesale industry. Cardinal Health also supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Read more on CAH →
