ARCC vs. C: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on November 22, 2025

Here’s a clear look at ARCC and C, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

Symbol	ARCC	C
Company Name	Ares Capital Corporation	Citigroup Inc.
Country	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Financials	Financials
GICS Industry	Capital Markets	Banks
Market Capitalization	14.20 billion USD	183.91 billion USD
Exchange	NasdaqGS	NYSE
Listing Date	October 5, 2004	January 3, 1977
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of ARCC and C by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

ARCC vs. C: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	ARCC	C
5-Day Price Return	-3.41%	-1.17%
13-Week Price Return	-12.31%	7.06%
26-Week Price Return	-10.91%	32.72%
52-Week Price Return	-10.58%	45.59%
Month-to-Date Return	-4.08%	-0.92%
Year-to-Date Return	-10.83%	42.49%
10-Day Avg. Volume	4.17M	11.60M
3-Month Avg. Volume	4.73M	14.05M
3-Month Volatility	20.07%	22.66%
Beta	0.64	1.19

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

ARCC

9.84%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 41.61%
Q3: 22.56%
Median: 13.62%
Q1: 9.23%
Min: -4.25%

ARCC’s Return on Equity of 9.84% is on par with the norm for the Capital Markets industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

C

6.94%

Banks Industry

Max: 25.75%
Q3: 15.51%
Median: 11.91%
Q1: 8.65%
Min: -1.41%

C’s Return on Equity of 6.94% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

ARCC

45.16%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 69.91%
Q3: 36.88%
Median: 24.30%
Q1: 13.14%
Min: -6.20%

A Net Profit Margin of 45.16% places ARCC in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

C

17.37%

Banks Industry

Max: 54.20%
Q3: 35.60%
Median: 28.95%
Q1: 22.27%
Min: 2.66%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Banks industry, C’s Net Profit Margin of 17.37% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

ARCC

47.81%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 83.68%
Q3: 47.64%
Median: 32.36%
Q1: 19.28%
Min: 0.30%

An Operating Profit Margin of 47.81% places ARCC in the upper quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.

C

23.02%

Banks Industry

Max: 63.35%
Q3: 44.30%
Median: 37.14%
Q1: 28.21%
Min: 12.28%

C’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.02% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	ARCC	C
Return on Equity (TTM)	9.84%	6.94%
Return on Assets (TTM)	4.68%	0.58%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	45.16%	17.37%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	47.81%	23.02%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	49.47%	--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

ARCC

2.23

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 3.43
Q3: 1.76
Median: 1.00
Q1: 0.60
Min: 0.04

For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

C

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

ARCC

1.09

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 6.12
Q3: 2.78
Median: 0.96
Q1: 0.31
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.

C

3.38

Banks Industry

Max: 5.78
Q3: 2.55
Median: 0.94
Q1: 0.39
Min: 0.00

The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

ARCC

2.48

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 107.59
Q3: 50.42
Median: 10.94
Q1: 4.37
Min: -36.26

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.

C

Banks Industry

Max: --
Q3: --
Median: --
Q1: --
Min: --

The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	ARCC	C
Current Ratio (MRQ)	2.23	--
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	2.23	--
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	1.09	3.38
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	2.48	--

Growth

Revenue Growth

ARCC vs. C: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

ARCC vs. C: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

ARCC

8.93%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 8.63%
Q3: 4.88%
Median: 2.72%
Q1: 1.41%
Min: 0.00%

ARCC’s Dividend Yield of 8.93% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Capital Markets industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.

C

3.05%

Banks Industry

Max: 9.92%
Q3: 5.44%
Median: 3.78%
Q1: 2.38%
Min: 0.00%

C’s Dividend Yield of 3.05% is consistent with its peers in the Banks industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

ARCC

91.56%

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 188.84%
Q3: 96.52%
Median: 61.58%
Q1: 31.74%
Min: 0.00%

ARCC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 91.56% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

C

36.31%

Banks Industry

Max: 135.42%
Q3: 78.13%
Median: 52.54%
Q1: 35.48%
Min: 0.00%

C’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.31% is within the typical range for the Banks industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	ARCC	C
Dividend Yield (TTM)	8.93%	3.05%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	91.56%	36.31%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

ARCC

10.25

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 47.53
Q3: 28.81
Median: 16.62
Q1: 12.06
Min: 5.71

In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, ARCC’s P/E Ratio of 10.25 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

C

11.91

Banks Industry

Max: 21.36
Q3: 13.70
Median: 10.55
Q1: 8.08
Min: 2.84

C’s P/E Ratio of 11.91 is within the middle range for the Banks industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

ARCC

4.63

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 13.23
Q3: 6.65
Median: 4.40
Q1: 2.22
Min: 0.03

ARCC’s P/S Ratio of 4.63 aligns with the market consensus for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

C

1.10

Banks Industry

Max: 4.90
Q3: 2.97
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.58
Min: 0.45

The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

ARCC

1.01

Capital Markets Industry

Max: 10.83
Q3: 5.27
Median: 2.66
Q1: 1.34
Min: 0.37

ARCC’s P/B Ratio of 1.01 is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

C

0.85

Banks Industry

Max: 2.14
Q3: 1.43
Median: 1.13
Q1: 0.87
Min: 0.25

C’s P/B Ratio of 0.85 is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

ARCC vs. C: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Capital Markets and Banks industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	ARCC	C
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	10.25	11.91
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	4.63	1.10
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	1.01	0.85
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	15.22	7.57