Ares Capital Corporation vs Unilever plc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.75 (market cap $13.48B), while Unilever plc trades at $61.42 (market cap $130.72B). The key difference: Unilever plc is far larger — about 9.7× Ares Capital Corporation's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (10.22%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | UL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $130.72B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $74.59 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $55.05 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 3.69% |
Enterprise Value | — | $156.17B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Ares Capital (ARCC) trades at $18.78, up 2.01% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. The stock shows a P/E of 11.52 and P/B of 0.96, trading below the consensus price target of $20.58. Recent earnings have missed expectations, with Q2 2026 results pending, while revenue declined to $1.51B in 2025 from $1.7B in 2024. A dividend of $0.48 is scheduled for payment on June 30, 2026, supporting income appeal amid mixed sentiment.
ARCC presents a value opportunity with a high dividend yield and undervaluation relative to analyst targets, but faces headwinds from earnings misses and a bearish technical outlook. Risks include revenue volatility and competitive pressures in the BDC space, though institutional buy ratings suggest confidence in recovery potential. Investors should weigh income stability against growth challenges.
Unilever (UL) trades at $61.72, up 1.2% with a bullish technical signal despite recent earnings misses. The company maintains strong profitability with 18.75% net margins and 53.32% ROE, though revenue declined to $60.76B in 2024. Recent developments include a transformative food business deal with McCormick and a $270M innovation center investment, positioning for future growth amid current headwinds.
UL presents a mixed outlook with strong brand power and cash flow generation offset by recent earnings disappointments and competitive pressures. The stock appears fairly valued at 20.93 P/E, with analyst consensus divided between growth potential from strategic initiatives and concerns about execution risks in a challenging consumer environment.
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 →Unilever is a diversified personal product (42% of 2021 sales by value), home care (20%), and packaged food (38%) company. Its brands include Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Lipton teas, Axe and Dove skin products, and the TRESemme haircare brand. The firm has been acquisitive in recent years
Read more on UL →