Ares Capital Corporation vs DigitalOcean Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B), while DigitalOcean Holdings Inc trades at $122 (market cap $15.25B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation and DigitalOcean Holdings Inc are close in size by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while DigitalOcean Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | DOCN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $15.25B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $181.29 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $29.99 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $16.02B |
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.
DigitalOcean (DOCN) trades at $124.15, up 1.57% today, with a neutral technical signal and bullish moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating estimates with 29% revenue growth driven by AI demand, and raised full-year guidance. Valuation ratios are elevated, with a P/E of 56.43 and P/S of 13.99, reflecting high growth expectations. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $173.71 price target, though net cash flow turned negative in 2025 due to investing activities.
Outlook is positive given accelerating AI-driven revenue growth and profitability, but risks include high debt levels, competitive cloud market pressures, and stretched valuations. The stock offers upside if execution continues, but investors face volatility from earnings sensitivity and macroeconomic headwinds.
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 →DigitalOcean Holdings Inc is a cloud computing platform offering on-demand infrastructure and platform tools for developers, start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses. The customers use the platform for a wide range of cases, such as web and mobile applications, website hosting, e-commerce, media and gaming, personal web projects, and managed services, among many others. The group has a business presence in North America, Europe, Asia and other countries.
Read more on DOCN →