Ares Capital Corporation vs McKesson Corporation — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.75 (market cap $13.48B), while McKesson Corporation trades at $812 (market cap $94.36B). The key difference: McKesson Corporation is far larger — about 7× 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 | MCK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $94.36B |
Sector | Financials | Health |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $995.69 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $659.01 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 0.41% |
Enterprise Value | — | $99.00B |
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.
McKesson (MCK) trades at $805.96, up 1.66% with strong bullish momentum near its pivot point of $799. The stock shows consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $11.69 exceeding expectations, and revenue growth accelerating to $359.05B in 2025. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with an 80% buy rating and a $932.83 consensus price target, while recent corporate developments include a strategic investment in Medical-Surgical Solutions with Apollo Funds.
The outlook remains favorable given robust cash flow generation and expanding profitability, though risks include policy uncertainties and high leverage. Upside potential is supported by valuation discounts relative to sector peers and continued execution in specialty pharma and oncology services.
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 →McKesson is a leading wholesaler of branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceutical products to pharmacies (retail chains, independent, and mail order), hospitals networks, and healthcare providers. Along with AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, the three account for well over 90% of the U.S. pharmaceutical wholesale industry. McKesson is currently divesting from its pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution in Europe and Canada in order to redeploy capital to strategic growth areas in the U.S. (oncology network and ecosystem, and biopharma services). Additionally, the company supplies medical-surgical products and equipment to healthcare facilities and provides a variety of technology solutions for pharmacies.
Read more on MCK →