Ares Capital Corporation vs ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $20 (market cap $14.27B), while ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF trades at $35.91. The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.66% dividend while ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF pays none, and Ares Capital Corporation is trading nearer its 52-week high, ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | SQQQ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.27B | — |
Sector | Financials | Leveraged / Inverse |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $92.95 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $36.31 |
Dividend Yield | 9.66% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ARCC trades at $19.87, down 0.55% with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported $1.51B revenue and $1.30B net income for 2025, maintaining an 86.25% profit margin. Recent earnings show slight misses against expectations, but dividend coverage remains stable at 104% with a 9.9% yield. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 24 buy ratings and a $19.63 price target.
The stock presents income appeal with its high dividend yield and stable payout history, though recent earnings compression and rising non-accruals to 2.4% signal credit quality concerns. Private credit sector strain and potential rate cuts pose medium-term risks to net investment income, which is 71% variable-rate exposed.
SQQQ, the ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF, trades at $37.32, down 1.11% amid a bearish technical signal with moving averages indicating selling pressure. The ETF is designed to deliver -3x the daily performance of the Nasdaq-100, making it highly sensitive to tech sector volatility. Recent news highlights its role as a tactical hedge tool but warns of significant long-term erosion due to daily reset mechanics.
The outlook for SQQQ remains high-risk, suitable only for short-term hedging against Nasdaq declines. Key risks include volatility decay from daily leverage and dependency on precise market timing. Investor sentiment is cautious, with analysts emphasizing its unsuitability as a long-term holding despite potential tactical opportunities during tech selloffs.
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 →SQQQ is a leveraged inverse ETF that seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to three times the inverse (-3x) of the daily performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index. It is a tactical trading tool designed for sophisticated investors to profit from or hedge against declines in large-cap technology and growth stocks. Due to its daily reset and the effects of compounding, it is intended for short-term use and carries significant risk if held during periods of high market volatility.
Read more on SQQQ →