ARCC vs. RKT: Ares Capital vs. Rocket Stock Comparison
How do Ares Capital (ARCC) and Rocket (RKT) 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 Rocket (RKT) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but ARCC is classified in Capital Markets while RKT is classified in Financial Services.
Ares Capital (ARCC) has more than two decades of public-market history since October 5, 2004, whereas Rocket (RKT) listed on August 6, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
| Profile Item | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ares Capital Corp. | Rocket Companies 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 | Financial Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Asset Management & Custody Banks | Commercial & Residential Mortgage Finance |
| Market Capitalization | 13.82 billion USD | 42.74 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 5, 2004 | August 6, 2020 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 5.40% | -7.27% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 9.48% | 26.30% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 8.26% | 0.22% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Rocket (RKT) has a highly aggressive beta of 2.19, indicating much higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Ares Capital (ARCC) is defensive at 0.59 and tends to be less market-sensitive — a wide gap in beta profiles.
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 18.97% | 58.88% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.59 | 2.19 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -21.76% | -59.90% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 4.45M | 34.27M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.06 | -0.20 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.09 | -0.29 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 6.19% and Rocket (RKT) at 7.86% 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%
RKT
Financial Services industry group
7.86%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- RKT
- 7.86%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 28.35% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Rocket (RKT) at 11.02%, 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%
RKT
Financial Services industry group
11.02%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- Median
- 15.36%
- RKT
- 11.02%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) at 72.74% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Rocket (RKT) at 43.54%, 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%
RKT
Financial Services industry group
43.54%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- RKT
- 43.54%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 6.19% | 7.86% |
| ROA (TTM) | 4.78% | 4.45% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 28.35% | 11.02% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 72.74% | 43.54% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Rocket (RKT) at 26.87% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Ares Capital (ARCC) at -12.08% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Ares Capital (ARCC) at -23.77% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Rocket (RKT) at -123.81% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | -12.08% | 26.87% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 26.67% | 3.25% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -23.77% | -123.81% |
| 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 Rocket (RKT) 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 Rocket (RKT) 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 | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Rocket (RKT) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Ares Capital (ARCC) reports a yield of 9.92%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
RKT
Financial Services industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- Median
- 1.09%
- RKT
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Ares Capital (ARCC) reports payout ratio above 100% at 157.38%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings; Rocket (RKT) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%).
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%
RKT
Financial Services industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- RKT
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 9.92% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 157.38% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Ares Capital (ARCC) trades at 15.68 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Rocket (RKT) has no P/E ratio this period.
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
RKT
Financial Services industry group
--
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- Min
- 0.16
- RKT
- --
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Ares Capital (ARCC) at 4.48 and Rocket (RKT) at 3.61 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
RKT
Financial Services industry group
3.61
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- RKT
- 3.61
- 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 Rocket (RKT) at 1.76 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
RKT
Financial Services industry group
1.76
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- RKT
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARCC | RKT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 15.68 | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.48 | 3.61 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 0.99 | 1.76 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |