Ares Capital Corporation vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.66 (market cap $13.48B), while Linde PLC trades at $524.62 (market cap $244.95B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 18.2× 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 | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $244.95B |
Sector | Financials | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $389.38 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.21% |
Enterprise Value | — | $267.30B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $18.64, down 0.75% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $20.58. The stock has a P/E of 11.52 and P/B of 0.96, trading below book value. Recent quarterly EPS results have slightly missed expectations, but the company maintains a strong net income margin of 84.5% and recently declared a $0.48 dividend.
The outlook remains positive given strong analyst support (24 buy ratings, 0 sell) and a high dividend yield, though risks include earnings misses and sensitivity to interest rate changes. Revenue has declined from $1.7B in 2024 to $1.5B in 2025, requiring monitoring of top-line performance for sustained growth.
Linde (LIN) trades at $529.79, up 0.8% on the day, showing consistent earnings beats with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33 surpassing estimates. The stock exhibits bullish technical signals with strong support at $521 and resistance at $529. Fundamentally, the company maintains robust profitability with a 20.44% net income margin and 18.49% ROE, though valuation metrics appear elevated with a P/E of 35.13. Recent news highlights sustainability leadership and Q1 earnings strength.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus strongly bullish (24 Buy, 4 Hold) and a $560 price target representing 5.7% upside. Key opportunities include sustained margin expansion and disciplined capital allocation returning $1.5B to shareholders. Primary risks include elevated valuation multiples and increasing debt-to-asset ratio reaching 31.63% in 2025, potentially limiting financial flexibility during economic downturns.
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 →Linde is the largest industrial gas supplier in the world, with operations in over 100 countries. The firm's main products are atmospheric gases (including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and process gases (including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium), as well as equipment used in industrial gas production. Linde serves a wide variety of end markets, including chemicals, manufacturing, healthcare, and steelmaking. Linde generated approximately $31 billion in revenue and $5 billion in GAAP operating profit in 2021.
Read more on LIN →