Ares Capital Corporation vs Crown Castle International Corp — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.64 (market cap $13.48B), while Crown Castle International Corp trades at $79.66 (market cap $34.77B). The key difference: Crown Castle International Corp is far larger — about 2.6× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (10.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | CCI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $34.77B |
Sector | Financials | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $113.91 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $74.92 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 5.34% |
Enterprise Value | — | $64.59B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Ares Capital (ARCC) trades at $18.78, up 2.01% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. The stock shows a P/E of 11.52 and P/B of 0.96, trading below the consensus price target of $20.58. Recent earnings have missed expectations, with Q2 2026 results pending, while revenue declined to $1.51B in 2025 from $1.7B in 2024. A dividend of $0.48 is scheduled for payment on June 30, 2026, supporting income appeal amid mixed sentiment.
ARCC presents a value opportunity with a high dividend yield and undervaluation relative to analyst targets, but faces headwinds from earnings misses and a bearish technical outlook. Risks include revenue volatility and competitive pressures in the BDC space, though institutional buy ratings suggest confidence in recovery potential. Investors should weigh income stability against growth challenges.
Crown Castle (CCI) trades at $79.66, up 3.89% today, but remains in a bearish technical trend with weak moving averages. The company reported mixed Q1 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates, while revenue declined to $4.26B in 2025. Analyst consensus is divided with a $97.33 price target, and the stock offers a 5.55% dividend yield. Recent news highlights strategic shifts to a pure-play tower focus amid leadership changes.
Outlook is cautious due to high debt levels and competitive pressures, but long-term value exists if operational improvements materialize. Key risks include interest rate sensitivity and execution challenges. Investors should weigh the dividend appeal against fundamental headwinds.
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 →Crown Castle International owns and leases roughly 40,000 cell towers in the United States. It also owns more than 85,000 route miles of fiber. It leases space on its towers to wireless service providers, which install equipment on the towers to support their wireless networks. The company's fiber is primarily leased by wireless service providers to set up small-cell network infrastructure and by enterprises for their internal connection needs. Crown Castle's towers and fiber are predominantly located in the largest U.S. cities. The company has a very concentrated customer base, with more than 70% of its revenue coming from the big three U.S. mobile carriers. Crown Castle operates as a real estate investment trust.
Read more on CCI →