ARCC vs. OWL: Ares Capital vs. Blue Owl Capital Stock Comparison
How do Ares Capital (ARCC) and Blue Owl Capital (OWL) 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 Blue Owl Capital (OWL) 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.
Ares Capital (ARCC) has more than two decades of public-market history since October 5, 2004, whereas Blue Owl Capital (OWL) listed on December 14, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ares Capital Corp. | Blue Owl Capital Inc. Class A Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| GICS Industry | Capital Markets | Capital Markets |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Asset Management & Custody Banks | Asset Management & Custody Banks |
| Market Capitalization | 13.82 billion USD | 15.48 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 5, 2004 | December 14, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 5.40% | -27.51% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 9.48% | -3.02% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 8.26% | -4.22% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 18.97% | 46.89% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.59 | 1.28 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -21.76% | -67.10% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 4.45M | 19.50M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.06 | -0.68 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.09 | -0.99 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 6.19% and Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 6.41% 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%
OWL
Financial Services industry group
6.41%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- OWL
- 6.41%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 28.35% keeps a top-quartile share of each sales dollar as profit, while Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 3.08% keeps a bottom-quartile 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%
OWL
Financial Services industry group
3.08%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- OWL
- 3.08%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 72.74% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 31.15%, 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%
OWL
Financial Services industry group
31.15%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- OWL
- 31.15%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 6.19% | 6.41% |
| ROA (TTM) | 4.78% | 4.69% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 28.35% | 3.08% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 72.74% | 31.15% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 25.04% 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.
EPS Growth
Ares Capital (ARCC) at -23.77% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at -50.00% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -12.08% | 25.04% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 26.67% | 27.97% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -23.77% | -50.00% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 16.05% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Ares Capital (ARCC) in Financial Services and Blue Owl Capital (OWL) 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 Blue Owl Capital (OWL) 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
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 9.66% earns its spot in the top quartile of its industry’s yields; Ares Capital (ARCC) at 9.92% is past the top of its own peer range — territory where a dividend-safety check matters more than the headline number.
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%
OWL
Financial Services industry group
9.66%
- Max
- 9.77%
- OWL
- 9.66%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- Median
- 1.09%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 157.38% and Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 650.00% report payout ratio above 100%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings on both sides.
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%
OWL
Financial Services industry group
650.00%
- OWL
- 650.00%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 9.92% | 9.66% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 157.38% | 650.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 15.68 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 70.14 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for OWL’s trailing earnings.
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
OWL
Financial Services industry group
70.14
- OWL
- 70.14
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- Min
- 0.16
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 4.48 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 5.04 sits in the pricier quartile — OWL 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
OWL
Financial Services industry group
5.04
- Max
- 9.23
- OWL
- 5.04
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 0.99 and Blue Owl Capital (OWL) at 3.54 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
OWL
Financial Services industry group
3.54
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- OWL
- 3.54
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | OWL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 15.68 | 70.14 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.48 | 5.04 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 0.99 | 3.54 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |