ARCC vs. CNA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARCC and CNA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ARCC’s market capitalization stands at 15.56 billion USD, while CNA’s is 12.36 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 0.73 for ARCC and 0.52 for CNA, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ARCC | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ares Capital Corporation | CNA Financial Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Asset Management | Insurance - Property & Casualty |
| CEO | Kort Schnabel | Douglas Merle Worman |
| Price | 22.41 USD | 45.69 USD |
| Market Cap | 15.56 billion USD | 12.36 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.73 | 0.52 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | October 5, 2004 | February 3, 1969 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARCC and CNA 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ARCC
11.03%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 34.25%
- Q3
- 18.22%
- Median
- 11.24%
- Q1
- 5.81%
- Min
- -5.72%
ARCC’s Return on Equity of 11.03% is on par with the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
CNA
8.64%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 28.14%
- Q3
- 17.51%
- Median
- 12.75%
- Q1
- 8.26%
- Min
- 0.61%
CNA’s Return on Equity of 8.64% is on par with the norm for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ARCC
208.60%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 42.18%
- Q3
- 20.06%
- Median
- 8.68%
- Q1
- 3.13%
- Min
- -16.42%
ARCC’s Return on Invested Capital of 208.60% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Asset Management industry. This demonstrates an outstanding ability to deploy capital efficiently and create significant value.
CNA
-39.52%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 21.89%
- Q3
- 10.09%
- Median
- 3.90%
- Q1
- 0.89%
- Min
- -7.26%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry.
Net Profit Margin
ARCC
67.48%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 91.66%
- Q3
- 57.81%
- Median
- 29.48%
- Q1
- 15.70%
- Min
- -27.65%
A Net Profit Margin of 67.48% places ARCC in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
CNA
6.23%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 21.98%
- Q3
- 13.09%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 6.10%
- Min
- 2.13%
CNA’s Net Profit Margin of 6.23% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ARCC
91.13%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 99.76%
- Q3
- 78.28%
- Median
- 34.76%
- Q1
- 21.75%
- Min
- -48.25%
An Operating Profit Margin of 91.13% places ARCC in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
CNA
5.91%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 31.70%
- Q3
- 17.32%
- Median
- 12.57%
- Q1
- 7.38%
- Min
- 4.31%
CNA’s Operating Profit Margin of 5.91% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.03% | 8.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.08% | 1.33% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 208.60% | -39.52% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 67.48% | 6.23% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 91.13% | 5.91% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 95.92% | 94.85% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ARCC
--
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 12.44
- Q3
- 5.76
- Median
- 3.04
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.01
Current Ratio data for ARCC is currently unavailable.
CNA
0.41
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 51.52
- Q3
- 30.84
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 6.61
- Min
- 0.41
CNA’s Current Ratio of 0.41 falls into the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ARCC
--
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 2.62
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.34
- Min
- 0.01
Debt-to-Equity Ratio data for ARCC is currently unavailable.
CNA
0.29
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 0.58
- Q3
- 0.36
- Median
- 0.27
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.01
CNA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.29 is typical for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ARCC
3.77
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.30
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- -6.91
ARCC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.77 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
CNA
6.54
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 39.40
- Q3
- 22.24
- Median
- 12.38
- Q1
- 6.68
- Min
- -12.40
In the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry, CNA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.54 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.41 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.41 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.29 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.04 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.35 | 2.67 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 3.77 | 6.54 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARCC and CNA. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ARCC
8.57%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 26.09%
- Q3
- 11.60%
- Median
- 6.37%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARCC’s Dividend Yield of 8.57% is consistent with its peers in the Asset Management industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
CNA
8.32%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 8.17%
- Q3
- 3.10%
- Median
- 1.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNA’s Dividend Yield of 8.32% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Insurance - Property & Casualty 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ARCC
81.85%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 1,034.88%
- Q3
- 127.70%
- Median
- 75.15%
- Q1
- 34.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARCC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 81.85% is within the typical range for the Asset Management industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
CNA
115.20%
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 115.20%
- Q3
- 35.27%
- Median
- 22.19%
- Q1
- 3.16%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 115.20% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 8.57% | 8.32% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 81.85% | 115.20% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ARCC
10.53
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 38.72
- Q3
- 23.40
- Median
- 11.45
- Q1
- 8.80
- Min
- 1.54
ARCC’s P/E Ratio of 10.53 is within the middle range for the Asset Management industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
CNA
13.85
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 35.83
- Q3
- 23.28
- Median
- 14.49
- Q1
- 11.91
- Min
- 4.47
CNA’s P/E Ratio of 13.85 is within the middle range for the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ARCC
-7.92
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.02
ARCC has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -7.92. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
CNA
-0.17
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 2.53
- Q3
- 1.90
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
CNA has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -0.17. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ARCC
7.30
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 4.87
- Q1
- 3.51
- Min
- 0.02
ARCC’s P/S Ratio of 7.30 aligns with the market consensus for the Asset Management industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
CNA
0.86
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 3.76
- Q3
- 2.39
- Median
- 1.80
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.50
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Insurance - Property & Casualty industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ARCC
1.11
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 5.33
- Q3
- 2.75
- Median
- 1.06
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.00
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Asset Management industry.
CNA
1.21
Insurance - Property & Casualty Industry
- Max
- 5.34
- Q3
- 2.95
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.52
CNA’s P/B Ratio of 1.21 is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Property & Casualty 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | CNA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 10.53 | 13.85 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -7.92 | -0.17 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 7.30 | 0.86 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 1.11 | 1.21 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -6.47 | 4.73 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 8.15 | 15.92 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 7.00 | 1.03 |