Ares Capital Corporation vs Check Point Software Technologies Ltd — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B), while Check Point Software Technologies Ltd trades at $129.46 (market cap $13.39B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation and Check Point Software Technologies Ltd are close in size by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Check Point Software Technologies Ltd pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | CHKP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $13.39B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $206.91 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $112.47 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $13.09B |
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.
Check Point Software (CHKP) trades at $127.82, up 2.03% today, but remains in a bearish technical trend. The company maintains strong profitability with 37.93% net margins and has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters. Recent news includes insider selling by the CRO and recognition as a visionary leader in enterprise risk management platforms. Technical indicators show oversold conditions with RSI at 24.45, suggesting potential for near-term bounce.
CHKP presents a value opportunity with attractive P/E of 13.45, trading below analyst consensus target of $146.92. However, structural challenges in hardware demand and margin compression create headwinds. The stock's 36% decline year-to-date may have created a buying opportunity for patient investors, though near-term volatility is expected given bearish technical signals and mixed analyst sentiment.
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 →Check Point is a global leader in cybersecurity solutions. It provides comprehensive protection against advanced cyber threats for corporate networks, cloud environments, mobile devices, and critical infrastructure.
Read more on CHKP →