Ares Capital Corporation vs Kroger Co — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.75 (market cap $13.48B), while Kroger Co trades at $60.05 (market cap $37.09B). The key difference: Kroger Co is far larger — about 2.8× 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 | KR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $37.09B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $75.60 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $55.53 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 2.38% |
Enterprise Value | — | $57.18B |
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.
Kroger (KR) trades at $60.54, up 1.14% today, near the analyst consensus price target of $68.63. The stock shows bullish technical signals despite a mixed earnings history, with recent beats in Q3 and Q4 2025 but a miss in Q1 2026. Fundamentals reveal a low P/S ratio of 0.26 and steady dividends, while the recent $1.65 billion acquisition of Giant Eagle aims to expand Midwest presence amid intense grocery competition.
KR offers value with solid cash flow and growth initiatives, but risks include margin pressure from industry competition and integration challenges from acquisitions. Analyst sentiment is positive with 48% buy ratings, supporting a cautious bullish outlook for patient investors focused on long-term retail consolidation benefits.
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 →Kroger is the leading American grocer, with 2,726 supermarkets operating under several banners throughout the country as of the end of fiscal 2021. Around 83% of stores have pharmacies, while nearly 60% also sell fuel. The company also operates roughly 120 fine jewelry stores. Kroger features a leading private-label offering and manufactures around 30% of its own-brand units (and more than 40% of its grocery own-label assortment) itself, in 33 food production plants nationwide. Kroger is a top-two grocer in most of its major markets (as of early 2021, according to company data). Virtually all of Kroger's sales come from the United States.
Read more on KR →