Ares Capital Corporation vs Mattel Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B), while Mattel Inc trades at $15.05 (market cap $4.21B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is far larger — about 3.4× Mattel Inc's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Mattel Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | MAT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $4.21B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $22.16 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $13.05 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $6.44B |
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.
Mattel (MAT) trades at $14.79, up 2.07% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported mixed Q2 2026 results with revenue growth of 10% but an earnings miss due to higher costs. Valuation appears reasonable with P/E of 11.03 and P/S of 0.82, while profitability metrics show strong ROE of 20.5% despite margin pressures from increased advertising expenses.
The stock presents a balanced opportunity with analyst consensus leaning bullish (53% buy ratings) but faces near-term headwinds from cost inflation and discretionary spending pressures. Long-term growth drivers include toy-based entertainment partnerships and digital gaming expansion, though execution risks and market volatility require careful monitoring.
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 →Mattel markets toy products that are sold to its wholesale customers and direct to retail consumers. The company offers products for children and families, including toys for infants and preschoolers, girls and boys, youth electronics, handheld and other games, puzzles, educational toys, media-driven products, and plush and fashion-related toys. Mattel's owned portfolio includes Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends, and American Girl. In addition, it currently manufactures toy products for its segments both internally and externally (through manufacturing partners). Just over half of its net sales are in North America, while the remainder stem from international markets.
Read more on MAT →