Ares Capital Corporation vs F5 Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.88 (market cap $13.48B), while F5 Inc trades at $421.05 (market cap $24.28B). The key difference: F5 Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 10.22% dividend while F5 Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | FFIV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $24.28B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $430.39 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $223.99 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $23.09B |
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.
F5 (FFIV) trades at $430.39, showing minimal daily movement with a 0.02% gain. The stock demonstrates strong fundamental performance with consistent earnings beats and robust revenue growth, reaching $3.09B in 2025. Technical indicators signal a bullish trend, with the price above key support levels. Recent strategic moves include AI security platform expansion and acquisitions, positioning the company for continued growth in the cybersecurity sector.
The outlook remains positive with strong earnings momentum and strategic AI investments, though valuation metrics appear elevated. Key risks include competitive pressures and execution challenges in new market segments. Analyst consensus leans cautious with a $397 price target below current levels, suggesting potential near-term consolidation despite long-term 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 →F5 is a market leader in the application delivery controller market. The company sells products for networking traffic, security, and policy management. Its products ensure applications are safely routed in efficient manners within on-premises data centers and across cloud environments. More than half of its revenue is based on providing services, and its three customer verticals are enterprises, service providers, and government entities. The Seattle-based firm was incorporated in 1996 and generates sales globally.
Read more on FFIV →