Ares Capital Corporation vs J M Smucker Co — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.86 (market cap $14.34B), while J M Smucker Co trades at $118.81 (market cap $12.54B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation and J M Smucker Co are close in size by market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | SJM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.34B | $12.54B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $126.35 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $89.53 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 3.82% |
Enterprise Value | — | $19.57B |
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.
SJM trades at $118.79, up 0.61% today, with a bullish technical signal and analyst consensus price target of $125.11. Recent earnings have shown beats in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, but the company reported a net loss of $1.23B in 2025, with negative profit margins and ROE. Cash flow from operations remains strong at $1.21B, supporting a dividend increase to $1.12 per share, marking 25 consecutive years of growth. The stock is supported by positive media coverage highlighting value and growth potential.
The outlook is mixed; strong cash flow and dividend growth provide stability, but profitability challenges and high debt levels pose risks. Analyst sentiment is predominantly buy-rated, suggesting upside potential, though investors must weigh fundamental weaknesses against technical and sentiment positives for balanced decision-making.
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 →J.M. Smucker is a packaged food company that primarily operates in the U.S. retail channel (87% of fiscal 2022 revenue), but also in U.S. food-service (7%), and international (6%). Its largest segment is pet food and treats (36% of 2022 revenue), with popular brands such as Milk-Bone, Meow Mix, 9Lives, Kibbles 'n Bits, Nature's Recipe, and Rachael Ray Nutrish. Its second-largest category is coffee (35% across channels) with the number-two brand Folgers and number-six Dunkin'. Other large categories are peanut butter (10%), with number-one Jif, fruit spreads (5%) with number-one Smucker's, and frozen hand-held foods (6%) with number-one Uncrustables.
Read more on SJM →