Price movement over the last 24 hours
Ares Capital Corporation vs Xcel Energy Inc — how do they compare? Ares Capital Corporation trades at $18.77 (market cap $13.48B), while Xcel Energy Inc trades at $80.06 (market cap $49.98B). The key difference: Xcel Energy Inc is far larger — about 3.7× 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 | XEL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $13.48B | $49.98B |
Sector | Financials | Utilities |
52-Week High | $23.25 | $83.91 |
52-Week Low | $17.45 | $68.33 |
Dividend Yield | 10.22% | 2.96% |
Enterprise Value | — | $87.42B |
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.
XEL trades at $80.06, up 1.32% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst consensus. Recent earnings showed a Q1 2026 beat but two prior misses. The company maintains solid fundamentals with $14.67B revenue, 14.14% net margin, and a $60B capital plan driving growth. Dividend yield is 2.87% with a recent $0.59 payout declared.
Outlook is positive with Wall Street's $91.88 price target suggesting 15% upside, supported by data center demand and infrastructure investments. Risks include regulatory pushback on rate hikes and high debt levels. The stock presents a steady utility play with growth catalysts but requires monitoring of earnings consistency and capex execution.
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 →Xcel Energy manages utilities serving 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers in eight states. Its utilities are Northern States Power, which serves customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
Read more on XEL →