Ares Capital Corporation vs International Business Machines Corp — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B), while International Business Machines Corp trades at $238.38 (market cap $222.64B). The key difference: International Business Machines Corp is far larger — about 15.5× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | IBM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $222.64B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $329.23 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $205.77 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 2.86% |
Volume | — | 4,481,527 |
Enterprise Value | — | $279.78B |
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.
IBM trades at $237.28, up 1.65% today, with a mixed technical outlook showing bullish overall signals but bearish momentum indicators. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q1 2026, though Q2 2026 matched estimates, and revenue growth accelerated to $67.54 billion in 2025. The company maintains strong profitability with a net income margin of 15.52% and a dividend yield of approximately 2.8%, supported by positive cash flow from operations of $13.19 billion.
The stock offers a balanced risk-reward profile, with a consensus price target of $257.38 implying 8.5% upside, but faces headwinds from a securities fraud investigation and competitive pressures in AI. Long-term growth hinges on quantum computing and hybrid cloud adoption, yet near-term volatility may persist due to legal uncertainties and macroeconomic factors.
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 →International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides computer solutions. The Company offers application, technology consulting and support, process design and operations, cloud, digital workplace, and network services, as well as business resiliency, strategy, and design solutions. IBM serves clients worldwide.
Read more on IBM →