Ares Capital Corporation vs CDW Corp. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.74 (market cap $13.48B), while CDW Corp. trades at $144.55 (market cap $18.45B). The key difference: CDW Corp. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (10.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | CDW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $18.45B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $182.18 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $99.30 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.75% |
Enterprise Value | — | $23.66B |
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.
CDW trades at $144.39, up 2.98% today, near its pivot point of $139 with resistance at $143. The stock shows strong profitability with a 44.16% ROE and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. Recent news highlights AI infrastructure demand fueling growth, while the company increased its share repurchase program by $1 billion in May 2026. Technical indicators are bullish, with moving averages supporting upward momentum.
Outlook remains positive driven by AI demand and shareholder returns, but risks include margin pressure and high debt. Analysts are bullish with a $142.17 consensus target and 71% buy ratings. Investors should monitor Q2 2026 earnings against the $2.80 EPS estimate for near-term direction.
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 →CDW Corp is a value-added reseller operating in the U.S. (95% of sales) and Canada (5%). The company has more than 100,000 products on its line of cards that range from notebooks to data center software. Roughly half of CDW's revenue comes from midsize and large businesses, with the remaining from small businesses, government agencies, education institutions, and health-care organizations.
Read more on CDW →