Ares Capital Corporation vs CF Industries Holdings, Inc. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B), while CF Industries Holdings, Inc. trades at $117.69 (market cap $18.38B). The key difference: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | CF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $18.38B |
Sector | Financials | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $137.55 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $76.08 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 1.98% |
Enterprise Value | — | $19.52B |
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.
CF Industries Holdings (CF) trades at $114.35, down 2.04% today, reflecting a bearish technical trend with support at $112 and resistance at $116. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 earnings, missing EPS estimates at $4.73 versus $5.63 expected, but revenue grew 17.6% year-over-year on strong nitrogen pricing. Fundamentals remain solid with a P/E of 8.48 and net income margin of 27.12%, while cash flow improved to $368 million in 2025. Recent news highlights institutional buying and nitrogen market tightness supporting mid-cycle earnings.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic; CF benefits from robust nitrogen demand and pricing, with analyst consensus target at $119.60 implying upside. Risks include volume volatility from plant outages and debt levels, but high ROE (39.19%) and dividend payments signal financial health. Investors may find value at current levels if operational execution aligns with favorable industry conditions.
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 →CF Industries is a leading producer and distributor of nitrogen fertilizers. The company operates seven nitrogen facilities in North America and holds joint venture interests in further production capacity in the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago. CF makes nitrogen primarily using low-cost U.S. natural gas as its feedstock, making CF one of the lowest-cost nitrogen producers globally.
Read more on CF →