Ares Capital Corporation vs United States Natural Gas Fund — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $19.95 (market cap $14.35B), while United States Natural Gas Fund trades at $10.16. The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while United States Natural Gas Fund pays none, and Ares Capital Corporation is trading nearer its 52-week high, United States Natural Gas Fund nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | UNG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | — |
Sector | Financials | Commodities - Energy |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $16.90 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $9.63 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | — |
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.
UNG trades at $9.74, up 1.14% in the last 24 hours, amid bearish technical signals from moving averages and oscillators. The stock lacks key financial ratio data, but news highlights natural gas futures volatility and comparisons with equity-based ETFs like FCG. Recent articles from WSJ and Reuters (June 2026) note steady trading ranges and record supply-demand forecasts from the EIA, influencing sentiment.
Outlook remains cautious due to technical weakness and commodity price dependence. Risks include geopolitical tensions and weather-driven demand shifts. Opportunities may arise from LNG demand growth, but investors face high volatility without clear fundamental anchors from traditional ratios.
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 →UNG is a commodity ETF that tracks the daily price movements of natural gas futures. It primarily invests in front-month contracts at the Henry Hub, making it a highly volatile tool for short-term trading rather than long-term holding due to contango and roll costs.
Read more on UNG →