Ares Capital Corporation vs Wendys Co — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $20.01 (market cap $14.35B), while Wendys Co trades at $7.54 (market cap $1.39B). The key difference: Ares Capital Corporation is far larger — about 10.3× Wendys Co's market cap, and Ares Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (9.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ARCC | WEN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.35B | $1.39B |
Sector | Financials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $22.68 | $10.68 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $6.17 |
Dividend Yield | 9.61% | 3.84% |
Enterprise Value | — | $5.12B |
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.
Wendy's stock (WEN) trades at $7.69, up 4.06% in the last session, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus price target of $9.33. Recent Q2 2026 EPS beat estimates at $0.18, but revenue trends show stagnation near $2.2B, with net income declining to $165M in 2025. The company faces headwinds from a dividend cut and lost market share to Burger King, as new leadership pursues a turnaround plan amid weak U.S. traffic.
The outlook is cautious; valuation ratios like P/E of 11.67 and P/S of 0.67 suggest undervaluation, but high debt and competitive pressures pose risks. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 62.75% hold ratings, reflecting uncertainty over the turnaround's success. Near-term performance hinges on execution of strategic initiatives to revive sales and margins.
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 Wendy's Company is the second-largest burger quick-service restaurant, or QSR, chain in the United States by systemwide sales, with $11.1 billion in 2021, narrowly edging Burger King ($10.3 billion) and clocking in well behind wide-moat McDonald's ($45.7 billion). After divestitures of Tim Hortons (2006) and Arby's (2011), the firm manages just the burger banner, generating sales across a footprint that spans almost 7,000 total units in 30 countries. Wendy's generates revenue from the sale of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, and fries throughout its company-owned footprint, through franchise royalty and marketing fund payments remitted by its franchisees, which account for 94% of stores, and through franchise flipping and advisory fees.
Read more on WEN →