Ares Capital Corporation vs Northrop Grumman Corporation — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.75 (market cap $13.48B), while Northrop Grumman Corporation trades at $543.73 (market cap $76.65B). The key difference: Northrop Grumman Corporation is far larger — about 5.7× 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 | NOC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $76.65B |
Sector | Financials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $768.02 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $496.02 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.74% |
Enterprise Value | — | $90.87B |
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.
Northrop Grumman (NOC) trades at $539.63, up 1.39% with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a $95.61B backlog, 10.8% net margin, and consistent cash flow growth. Analyst consensus remains bullish with a $694.40 price target, though technical indicators show resistance near $542.
NOC presents a compelling value opportunity with reasonable valuation (P/E 16.92) and strong defense sector positioning. Key risks include political budget uncertainty and execution challenges. The upcoming Q2 earnings on July 21, 2026, will be crucial for confirming growth trajectory amid current technical weakness.
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 →Northrop Grumman is a defense contractor that is diversified across short-cycle and long-cycle businesses. The firm's segments include aeronautics, mission systems, defense services, and space systems. The company's aerospace segment creates the fuselage for the massive F-35 program and produces various piloted and autonomous flight systems. Mission systems creates a variety of sensors and processors for defense hardware. The defense systems segment is a long-range missile manufacturer. Finally, the company's space systems segment produces various space structures, sensors, and satellites.
Read more on NOC →