Ares Capital Corporation vs Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $20.01 (market cap $14.35B), while Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF trades at $225.17. The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation pays a 9.61% dividend while Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF pays none, and Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Ares Capital Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | VTV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | — |
Sector | Financials | — |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $225.35 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $179.43 |
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.
VTV trades at $224.31, up 0.42% today, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and near-term resistance at $225. The ETF has gained 22% year-to-date in 2026, outperforming growth-focused peers as value strategies attract attention amid flat market growth. A dividend of $1.08 is scheduled for June 2026.
The outlook remains positive given value's recent momentum and low exposure to tech volatility, but risks include Federal Reserve policy shifts and stretched RSI levels. Institutional activity is mixed, with some trimming positions while others increase stakes, reflecting cautious optimism.
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 →The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index, a broadly diversified index predominantly made up of value stocks of large US companies. The advisor attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index.
Read more on VTV →