Ares Capital Corporation vs Banco Santander SA — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.94 (market cap $14.35B), while Banco Santander SA trades at $14.78 (market cap $211.88B). The key difference: Banco Santander SA is far larger — about 14.8× 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 | SAN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $211.88B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $14.71 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $9.37 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 1.89% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $20.01, up 1.99% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. Recent earnings show Q2 2026 EPS of $0.47, slightly below the $0.4731 estimate, continuing a trend of minor misses. Revenue declined to $1.51B in 2025 from $1.7B in 2024, with net income margin at 81.77%. The stock offers a high dividend yield, with consistent payouts highlighted in recent news.
Outlook is mixed: strong analyst buy consensus (75%) and a stable dividend history support income investors, but declining revenue and tight dividend coverage pose risks. Price target consensus is $19.63, below the current price, suggesting limited upside. Macro risks in private credit, per WSJ on August 9, 2026, add caution.
Banco Santander (SAN) trades at $14.70, up 0.34% today, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The stock shows strong fundamentals with a P/E of 14.39, net income margin of 26.25% for 2026, and record profits in H1 2026. Recent news highlights Federal Reserve approval for its $12 billion Webster Bank acquisition, expected to close August 20, 2026, and its rise as Spain's most valuable company.
Outlook is positive given analyst consensus (64% buy ratings), solid profitability, and strategic acquisitions, but risks include regulatory scrutiny in Spain, volatile cash flows, and earnings misses in two of the last three quarters. The stock offers value with growth potential amid integration execution and macroeconomic uncertainties.
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 →Santander's focus is on retail and commercial banking. Latin America is geographically the largest operation, with Brazil by far the largest. Its continental European business is still mainly Iberian. Santander's U.K. presence is the result of the acquisition of building society Abbey. In the U.S., Santander operates a vehicle finance business and a regional bank focused on the Northeastern states.
Read more on SAN →