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ARCC vs. BLK: Ares Capital vs. BlackRock Stock Comparison

How do Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK) are both classified in the Asset Management & Custody Banks sub-industry within the broader Capital Markets industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
Profile ItemARCCBLK
NameAres Capital Corp.BlackRock, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorFinancialsFinancials
GICS Industry GroupFinancial ServicesFinancial Services
GICS IndustryCapital MarketsCapital Markets
GICS Sub-IndustryAsset Management & Custody BanksAsset Management & Custody Banks
Market Capitalization13.82 billion USD182.05 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateOctober 5, 2004October 1, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ARCC
BLK
GSPC
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Total Return (1Y)5.40%15.55%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)9.48%26.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)8.26%7.41%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ARCC
BLK
GSPC
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

BlackRock (BLK) has an aggressive beta of 1.34, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Ares Capital (ARCC) is defensive at 0.59 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)18.97%28.45%
Beta (5Y)0.591.34
Max Drawdown (5Y)-21.76%-43.90%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.45M600.75K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ARCC and BLK are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.060.40
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.090.58

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 6.19% and BlackRock (BLK) at 11.61% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

6.19%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
ARCC
6.19%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%

BLK

Financial Services industry group

11.61%

Max
44.78%
Q3
21.85%
Median
12.91%
BLK
11.61%
Q1
4.48%
Min
-18.71%
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their ROE against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Ares Capital (ARCC) at 28.35% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of BlackRock (BLK) at 24.22%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

28.35%

Max
62.84%
ARCC
28.35%
Q3
28.05%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%

BLK

Financial Services industry group

24.22%

Max
62.84%
Q3
28.05%
BLK
24.22%
Median
15.36%
Q1
4.82%
Min
-28.52%
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their net margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Ares Capital (ARCC) at 72.74% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of BlackRock (BLK) at 37.90%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

72.74%

Max
107.33%
ARCC
72.74%
Q3
55.90%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%

BLK

Financial Services industry group

37.90%

Max
107.33%
Q3
55.90%
BLK
37.90%
Median
30.09%
Q1
14.60%
Min
-44.34%
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their operating margin against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
ROE (TTM)6.19%11.61%
ROA (TTM)4.78%3.85%
Net Margin (TTM)28.35%24.22%
Operating Margin (TTM)72.74%37.90%
Gross Margin (TTM)----

Growth

Revenue Growth

BlackRock (BLK) at 18.67% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Ares Capital (ARCC) at -12.08% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Ares Capital (ARCC) at -23.77% and BlackRock (BLK) at -15.95% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Revenue Growth (YoY)-12.08%18.67%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)26.67%10.65%
EPS Growth (YoY)-23.77%-15.95%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)16.05%1.30%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Ares Capital (ARCC) in Financial Services and BlackRock (BLK) in Financial Services both report balance sheets without a current/non-current split, so their short-term liquidity is better judged through regulatory and funding measures.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

debt-to-equity ratio is set aside for both: Ares Capital (ARCC) in Financial Services and BlackRock (BLK) in Financial Services run businesses where balance-sheet leverage is part of the model, so capital-adequacy and funding measures are the better gauges of balance-sheet risk.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)----
Net Debt / EBITDA----

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BlackRock (BLK) at 1.91% pays an industry-typical yield; Ares Capital (ARCC) at 9.92% is above its entire peer range — the higher number, but one that calls for a look at payout sustainability before treating it as an advantage.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

9.92%

ARCC
9.92%
Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BLK

Financial Services industry group

1.91%

Max
9.77%
Q3
3.92%
BLK
1.91%
Median
1.09%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ares Capital (ARCC) reports payout ratio above 100% at 157.38%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile BlackRock (BLK) reports 51.00%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

157.38%

Max
241.07%
ARCC
157.38%
Q3
97.36%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

BLK

Financial Services industry group

51.00%

Max
241.07%
Q3
97.36%
BLK
51.00%
Median
25.77%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
Dividend Yield (TTM)9.92%1.91%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)157.38%51.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Ares Capital (ARCC) at 15.68 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while BlackRock (BLK) at 26.84 sits in the richer quartile — BLK needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

15.68

Max
45.85
Q3
24.64
ARCC
15.68
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16

BLK

Financial Services industry group

26.84

Max
45.85
BLK
26.84
Q3
24.64
Median
15.37
Q1
9.68
Min
0.16
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Ares Capital (ARCC) at 4.48 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while BlackRock (BLK) at 6.38 sits in the pricier quartile — BLK costs more per dollar of sales.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

4.48

Max
9.23
Q3
4.57
ARCC
4.48
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55

BLK

Financial Services industry group

6.38

Max
9.23
BLK
6.38
Q3
4.57
Median
2.72
Q1
1.28
Min
-0.55
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 0.99 and BlackRock (BLK) at 3.14 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

ARCC

Financial Services industry group

0.99

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
Median
1.57
ARCC
0.99
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39

BLK

Financial Services industry group

3.14

Max
7.79
Q3
3.63
BLK
3.14
Median
1.57
Q1
0.81
Min
-0.39
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Ares Capital (ARCC) vs. BlackRock (BLK): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Financial Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ares Capital (ARCC) and BlackRock (BLK)
MetricARCCBLK
P/E Ratio (TTM)15.6826.84
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.486.38
P/B Ratio (MRQ)0.993.14
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----