Ares Capital Corporation vs Microsoft — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.75 (market cap $13.48B), while Microsoft trades at $389.57 (market cap $2.86T). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 212.2× 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 | MSFT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $2.86T |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $542.07 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $352.83 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 0.95% |
Volume | — | 36,654,621 |
Enterprise Value | — | $2.84T |
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.
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $387.89, up 0.72% today, with a bearish technical signal despite strong fundamentals. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates, including Q1 2026 EPS of $4.27 vs. $4.06 expected. Revenue grew to $281.72B in 2025, with a net income margin of 39.34%. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with an $548.87 price target, though technical indicators show resistance near $388.
Outlook remains positive driven by AI leadership and cloud growth, but risks include high capital expenditure concerns and competitive pressures. The stock offers long-term value with robust cash flow and dividend payments, though near-term volatility may persist due to macroeconomic and geopolitical factors.
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 →