Ares Capital Corporation vs Microsoft — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.96 (market cap $14.35B), while Microsoft trades at $501.98 (market cap $3.76T). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 262× 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 | MSFT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $3.76T |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $542.07 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $352.83 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 0.72% |
Volume | — | 36,654,621 |
Enterprise Value | — | $3.74T |
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.
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $506.06, up 1.21% today, near its pivot point of $507. The stock shows strong bullish momentum with consistent earnings beats, including Q2 2026 EPS of $4.74 versus $4.24 expected. Revenue growth accelerated to $281.72B in 2025, with a net income margin of 40.31%. Analysts maintain an 80.49% buy rating, citing AI leadership via Azure and Copilot.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $553.70, though risks include high capital expenditures and competitive pressures in AI. The stock's valuation multiples like P/E of 28.19 are elevated, requiring sustained execution. Near-term support lies at $500, with resistance at $513.
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 →Microsoft Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports software products. The Company offers operating system software, server application software, business and consumer applications software, software development tools, and Internet and intranet software. Microsoft also develops video game consoles and digital music entertainment devices.
Read more on MSFT →