Ares Capital Corporation vs PepsiCo, Inc. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.71 (market cap $13.48B), while PepsiCo, Inc. trades at $138.6 (market cap $187.51B). The key difference: PepsiCo, Inc. is far larger — about 13.9× 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 | PEP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $187.51B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $170.44 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $133.81 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 4.31% |
Enterprise Value | — | $230.01B |
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.
PepsiCo (PEP) trades at $138.74, up 0.99% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported revenue of $93.93 billion in 2025, with a net income margin of 10.78%, and has beaten EPS estimates in recent quarters. Recent news highlights price cuts on snacks like Doritos to address consumer pushback on high prices.
The outlook is mixed; analyst consensus is a Buy with a $159.27 price target, but near-term risks include competitive pressures and execution of the North American turnaround. Long-term opportunities lie in margin expansion from cost optimization, though valuation multiples like a P/E of 18.01 suggest the stock is fairly valued relative to earnings growth.
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 →PepsiCo is one of the largest food and beverage companies globally. It makes, markets, and sells a slew of brands across the beverage and snack categories, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Doritos, Lays, and Ruffles. The firm uses a largely integrated go-to-market model, though it does leverage third-party bottlers, contract manufacturers, and distributors in certain markets. In addition to company-owned trademarks, Pepsi manufactures and distributes other brands through partnerships and joint ventures with companies such as Starbucks. The firm segments its operations into five primary geographies, with North America (comprising Frito-Lay North America, Quaker Foods North America, and North America beverages) constituting around 60% of consolidated revenue.
Read more on PEP →