Ares Capital Corporation vs Altria Group Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B), while Altria Group Inc trades at $65.07 (market cap $114.13B). The key difference: Altria Group Inc is far larger — about 8× 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 | MO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $114.13B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $74.92 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $54.72 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 6.2% |
Enterprise Value | — | $136.34B |
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.
Altria Group (MO) trades at $68.35, up 0.89% with mixed technical signals showing bearish moving averages but oversold RSI levels. The company maintains strong profitability with 39% net income margin and $6.95B net income for 2025, though revenue declined slightly to $20.14B. Recent earnings show alternating beats and misses, with Q3 2026 results pending. Analyst consensus remains bullish with 61.5% buy ratings and $71.50 price target, while the stock offers a 6.3% dividend yield with 56 consecutive annual increases expected.
MO presents value opportunity with 14.4x P/E ratio and strong cash flow generation, but faces headwinds from cigarette volume declines and regulatory pressures. The smoke-free product transition shows progress but remains early stage. Current price near support at $67 suggests limited downside, while analyst targets indicate 4.6% upside potential. Key risks include litigation exposure and slower-than-expected diversification from traditional tobacco products.
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 →Altria comprises Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, John Middleton, Helix Innovations, and Philip Morris Capital, although the company plans to wind down Philip Morris Capital by the end of 2022. It holds a 10% interest in the world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev. Through its tobacco subsidiaries, Altria holds the leading position in cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the United States and the number-two spot in machine-made cigars. The company's Marlboro brand is the leading cigarette brand in the U.S. with a 43% share in 2020. Altria holds strategic investments in JUUL Labs (35% economic interest) and Cronos (42%).
Read more on MO →