Price movement over the last 24 hours
Ares Capital Corporation vs Ecolab Inc. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.77 (market cap $13.48B), while Ecolab Inc. trades at $274.34 (market cap $77.20B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 5.7× 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 | ECL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $77.20B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $308.35 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $245.73 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.06% |
Enterprise Value | — | $85.95B |
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.
ECL trades at $274.31, up 0.47% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. The company reported $16.08B in 2025 revenue, $2.08B net income, and maintains robust profitability with a 12.8% net margin and 22.31% ROE. Recent news highlights the $4.75B CoolIT acquisition, expanding its AI cooling portfolio, and a consistent dividend payout.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $327.43, implying 19% upside, though risks include rising costs and negative cash flow trends. Earnings growth and digital expansion are key catalysts, but investors should monitor execution on acquisitions and margin pressures.
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 →Ecolab produces and markets cleaning and sanitation products for the hospitality, healthcare, and industrial markets. The firm is the global market share leader in this category with a wide array of products and services, including dish and laundry washing systems, pest control, and infection control products. The company has a strong hold on the U.S. market and is looking to increase its profitability abroad. Additionally, Ecolab serves customers in water, manufacturing, and life sciences end markets, selling customized solutions.
Read more on ECL →