Ares Capital Corporation vs Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.81 (market cap $14.34B), while Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. trades at $47.72 (market cap $98.11B). The key difference: Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is far larger — about 6.8× 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 | CNQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $98.11B |
Sector | Financials | Energy |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $50.55 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $29.31 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 3.73% |
Enterprise Value | — | $108.54B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.98, down 0.15% on the day, with a P/E of 14.9 and P/B of 1.03. Recent quarterly earnings have consistently missed expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47 falling short of the $0.4731 estimate. Technical indicators show a bullish moving average signal but bearish oscillators, with RSI at 78.37 suggesting overbought conditions. The company maintains a strong dividend yield of approximately 9.6% with consistent $0.48 quarterly payments.
While ARCC offers attractive income with its high dividend yield and strong analyst support (24 buy ratings), investors face risks from declining revenue trends and compressed earnings. The stock trades near consensus price targets, limiting near-term upside potential. Credit quality concerns in the private lending sector and potential interest rate sensitivity present additional headwinds for this business development company.
CNQ trades at $47.25, up 3.82% in 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $1.53, exceeding expectations, and maintains robust profitability with a net income margin of 22.87%. Recent news highlights record production and a quarterly dividend of $0.63, reinforcing financial strength.
Outlook is positive due to low valuation multiples, consistent dividend payouts, and upward earnings revisions. Key risks include oil price volatility and rising debt levels. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 75% buy ratings, supporting potential upside if operational momentum continues.
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 →Canadian Natural Resources is one of the largest oil and natural gas producers in western Canada, supplemented by operations in the North Sea and Offshore Africa. The company's portfolio includes light and medium oil, heavy oil, bitumen, synthetic oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. Production averaged 1.16 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2020, and the company estimates that it holds over 11.5 billion boe of proven and probable crude oil and natural gas reserves.
Read more on CNQ →