Price movement over the last 24 hours
Ares Capital Corporation vs NRG Energy Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.77 (market cap $13.48B), while NRG Energy Inc trades at $139.3 (market cap $29.63B). The key difference: NRG Energy Inc is far larger — about 2.2× 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 | NRG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $29.63B |
Sector | Financials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $184.03 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $120.65 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 1.35% |
Enterprise Value | — | $53.46B |
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.
NRG Energy trades at $140.42, down 0.04% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and bullish moving averages. The stock shows strong analyst support with 64% buy ratings, but faces high valuation with a P/E of 154.31 and modest net income margin of 0.74%. Recent earnings beat expectations in Q3 and Q4 2025, but missed in Q1 2026, with Q2 2026 results pending. Cash flow from operations was $1.91 billion in 2025, though debt levels have risen significantly.
Outlook is mixed: robust revenue growth and strategic initiatives like the smart home segment offer upside, but elevated debt and margin pressures pose risks. The stock's performance hinges on upcoming Q2 earnings and execution on EBITDA guidance of $5.325–$5.825 billion for 2026.
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 →NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the U.S., with 7 million customers, including its 2021 acquisition of Direct Energy. It also is one of the largest U.S. independent power producers, with 16 gigawatts of nuclear, coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity primarily in Texas. Since 2018, NRG has divested its 47% stake in NRG Yield, among other renewable energy and conventional generation investments. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.
Read more on NRG →