Ares Capital Corporation vs CubeSmart — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $20.02 (market cap $14.35B), while CubeSmart trades at $40.94 (market cap $9.23B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation 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 | CUBE | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $9.23B |
Sector | Financials | Real Estate |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $42.50 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $35.36 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 5.17% |
Enterprise Value | — | $12.76B |
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.
CubeSmart (CUBE) trades at $41.77, down slightly (-0.19%) on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $43.86 offering modest upside. The REIT has demonstrated consistent earnings beats in recent quarters and maintains strong profitability with a 29.41% net income margin. Recent news highlights improving operational trends, including higher occupancy and a raised full-year revenue outlook for 2026, suggesting a potential inflection point.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by operational momentum and a solid 5% dividend yield. Key risks include a high debt load, with long-term debt of $2.99 billion, and sensitivity to interest rate changes. While analyst sentiment is mixed (44.83% Buy, 51.72% Hold), the stock presents a value opportunity if operational improvements continue, though investors should weigh the debt burden against the stable income profile.
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 →CubeSmart is a real estate investment trust that acquires, owns, and manages self-storage facilities throughout the United States. The company's real estate portfolio is composed of buildings with numerous enclosed storage areas for both residential and commercial customers to rent mainly on a month-by-month basis. Most of CubeSmart's facilities are located in Florida, Texas, California, New York, and Illinois. Cumulatively, these states account for both the majority of the square footage in the company's real estate portfolio and the majority of its revenue. CubeSmart derives nearly all of its revenue from rental income from tenants utilizing its storage facilities.
Read more on CUBE →