Ares Capital Corporation vs Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.87 (market cap $14.34B), while Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock trades at $108.53 (market cap $186.25B). The key difference: Charles Schwab Corporation Common Stock is far larger — about 13× 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 | SCHW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $186.25B |
Sector | Financials | Financials |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $108.02 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $85.35 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 1.19% |
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.
Charles Schwab (SCHW) trades at $108.63, up 0.59% today, approaching its all-time high of $109.05. The stock shows strong momentum with three consecutive quarterly earnings beats and bullish technical indicators. Revenue grew to $23.92B in 2025 with net income margin expanding to 38.79%. Recent news highlights institutional buying and positive analyst coverage, though an insider sale and ongoing litigation present minor concerns.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus target of $122.33 suggesting 12.6% upside. Strong earnings growth, improving cash flow trends, and market leadership position support further appreciation. Key risks include market sensitivity to interest rates, competitive pressures, and potential regulatory impacts from ongoing litigation. The stock offers growth potential but requires monitoring of macroeconomic conditions.
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 →Charles Schwab operates in brokerage, banking, and asset-management businesses. The company runs a large network of brick-and-mortar brokerage branch offices, a well-established online investing website, and has mobile trading capabilities. It also operates a bank and a proprietary asset management business and offers services to independent investment advisors. The company is among the largest firms in the investment business, with over $8 trillion of client assets at the end of 2021. Nearly all of its revenue is from the United States.
Read more on SCHW →