Ares Capital Corporation vs CSX Corporation — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.72 (market cap $13.48B), while CSX Corporation trades at $49.68 (market cap $91.81B). The key difference: CSX Corporation is far larger — about 6.8× 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 | CSX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $91.81B |
Sector | Financials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $49.41 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $32.05 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.13% |
Enterprise Value | — | $110.04B |
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.
CSX trades at $49.41, slightly above the consensus price target of $48.21, with a 0.12% daily gain. The technical outlook is bullish based on moving averages, though RSI levels suggest overbought conditions. Recent earnings have shown mixed results, beating estimates in Q1 2026 but missing in Q4 2025, while revenue has declined from $14.9B in 2022 to $14.1B in 2025. The company maintains strong profitability with a 21.55% net income margin and recently announced a $0.14 dividend payable in June 2026.
The stock faces headwinds from declining revenue and high valuation multiples (P/E of 30.31), but analyst sentiment remains positive with 56.52% buy ratings. Key risks include freight demand volatility and elevated debt levels. Upside potential exists if operational improvements and margin expansion initiatives succeed, but investors should weigh rich valuations against growth prospects.
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 →Operating in the Eastern United States, Class I railroad CSX generated revenue near $12.5 billion in 2021. On its more than 21,000 miles of track, CSX hauls shipments of coal (13% of consolidated revenue), chemicals (22%), intermodal containers (16%), automotive cargo (9%), and a diverse mix of other bulk and industrial merchandise.
Read more on CSX →