Ares Capital Corporation vs Nasdaq100 ETF — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.86 (market cap $14.34B), while Nasdaq100 ETF trades at $723.84. The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Nasdaq100 ETF pays none, and Nasdaq100 ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ares Capital Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | QQQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | — |
Sector | Financials | — |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $746.16 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $558.34 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
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.
QQQ trades at $725.43, up 0.64% with a bullish technical signal from moving averages. The ETF shows strong institutional interest with Ferguson Shapiro LLC increasing its position by 2,685.7% according to SEC filings. Recent news highlights Nasdaq's tech-led rally potential in H2 2026, with momentum and Fed liquidity supporting further upside according to Zacks Investment Research.
Outlook remains positive given historical performance and current technical strength, though RSI levels suggest potential near-term consolidation. Key risks include ETF expense ratios and market volatility, while opportunities lie in continued tech sector leadership and institutional accumulation patterns.
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 →The ETF is designed to track the performance of the securities and the stocks in the NASDAQ-100 Index. To maintain the composition and weightings, the advisor adjusts the ETF from time to time to conform to periodic changes in the index target.
Read more on QQQ →