Ares Capital Corporation vs Global Payments Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.8 (market cap $13.48B), while Global Payments Inc trades at $77.48 (market cap $20.80B). The key difference: Global Payments Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (10.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | GPN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $20.80B |
Sector | Financials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $90.01 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $62.47 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.32% |
Enterprise Value | — | $38.52B |
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.
Global Payments (GPN) trades at $76.04, up 2.23% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company maintains solid operating cash flow of $2.66B for 2025 and a gross profit margin of 67.34%, though net income margin turned negative at -7.97% for 2026. Recent developments include AI-powered POS launches and expansion of restaurant partnerships, driving positive analyst sentiment with a consensus price target of $81.56.
GPN presents a mixed outlook: upside exists from earnings momentum and strategic initiatives like the Worldpay integration, but risks include margin pressure, rising debt-to-asset ratio of 41.57%, and intense fintech competition. The stock's current valuation at a P/E of 27.96 appears reasonable relative to growth prospects, yet investors must weigh execution risks against potential rewards in a competitive payments landscape.
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 →Global Payments is a leading provider of payment processing and software solutions and focuses on serving small and midsize merchants. The company operates in 30 countries and generates about one fourth of its revenue from outside North America, primarily in Europe and Asia. In 2019, Global Payments merged with Total System Services in an all-stock deal that gave Total System Services shareholders 48% of the combined company's shares.
Read more on GPN →