Ares Capital Corporation vs Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.77 (market cap $14.34B), while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd trades at $18.84 (market cap $8.59B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | NCLH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $8.59B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $26.94 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $14.79 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
Enterprise Value | — | $23.40B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.98, down 0.15% on the day, with a P/E of 14.9 and P/B of 1.03. Recent quarterly earnings have consistently missed expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47 falling short of the $0.4731 estimate. Technical indicators show a bullish moving average signal but bearish oscillators, with RSI at 78.37 suggesting overbought conditions. The company maintains a strong dividend yield of approximately 9.6% with consistent $0.48 quarterly payments.
While ARCC offers attractive income with its high dividend yield and strong analyst support (24 buy ratings), investors face risks from declining revenue trends and compressed earnings. The stock trades near consensus price targets, limiting near-term upside potential. Credit quality concerns in the private lending sector and potential interest rate sensitivity present additional headwinds for this business development company.
NCLH trades at $18.55, down 3.64% today, amid a bearish technical signal. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.48, beating estimates, but faces headwinds from high fuel costs and soft demand. Revenue growth is steady, with 2025 revenue at $9.83B, and profitability metrics like a 7.49% net income margin show resilience. Analyst consensus is bullish with a $20.73 price target, though recent news highlights execution risks and macroeconomic pressures.
The outlook is mixed: strong fundamentals and analyst support suggest upside potential, but near-term volatility from cost pressures and travel demand uncertainty poses risks. Investors should weigh the attractive valuation against operational challenges in the cruise industry.
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 →Norwegian Cruise Line is the world's third-largest cruise company by berths (at more than 62,000), operating 29 ships across three brands (Norwegian, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas), offering both freestyle and luxury cruising. The company has redeployed its entire fleet as of May 2022. With eight passenger vessels on order among its brands through 2027 (representing 20,000 incremental berths), Norwegian is increasing capacity faster than its peers, expanding its brand globally. Norwegian sailed to around 500 global destinations before the pandemic.
Read more on NCLH →