Ares Capital Corporation vs Raymond James Financial, Inc. — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.87 (market cap $14.34B), while Raymond James Financial, Inc. trades at $181.04 (market cap $34.63B). The key difference: Raymond James Financial, Inc. is far larger — about 2.4× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | RJF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $34.63B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $180.55 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $140.89 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 1.2% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.875, down 0.53% on the day, with strong analyst support showing 24 buy ratings and a consensus price target of $19.63. The stock maintains a bullish technical signal with moving averages supporting upward momentum, though oscillators indicate some near-term pressure. Recent earnings showed Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47, slightly below expectations, while the company continues its 17-year dividend streak with consistent $0.48 quarterly payments.
The outlook remains positive with solid fundamentals including 81.77% net income margin and 6.88% ROE, though investors should monitor declining revenue trends from $1.7B in 2024 to projected $1.2B in 2026. Key risks include private credit market strain and dividend coverage tightening to 104%, while institutional confidence remains high with no sell ratings among 32 analysts covering the stock.
Raymond James Financial (RJF) trades at $180.34, up 0.7% for the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The stock shows robust revenue growth, with 2025 revenue at $13.84B and net income of $2.14B, supported by a P/E of 15.69 and net margin of 15.37%. Recent news highlights record Q3 2026 results and a golden cross formation, indicating positive momentum.
Outlook is positive due to consistent earnings outperformance and analyst buy ratings, but risks include volatile cash flows from investing activities and reliance on capital markets strength. The consensus price target of $183.75 suggests modest upside, with institutional interest shown by CalPERS' recent share acquisition.
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 →Raymond James Financial is a financial holding company whose major operations include wealth management, investment banking, asset management, and commercial banking. The company has more than 14,000 employees and supports more than 5,000 independent contractor financial advisors across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Approximately 90% of the company's revenue is from the U.S. and 70% is from the company's wealth-management segment.
Read more on RJF →