ARCC vs. WTW: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARCC and WTW, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
WTW’s market capitalization of 30.40 billion USD is significantly greater than ARCC’s 15.56 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.73 for ARCC and 0.71 for WTW, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ARCC | WTW |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ares Capital Corporation | Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company |
| Country | US | GB |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Asset Management | Insurance - Brokers |
| CEO | Kort Schnabel | Carl A. Hess CERA, |
| Price | 22.41 USD | 306.64 USD |
| Market Cap | 15.56 billion USD | 30.40 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.73 | 0.71 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | October 5, 2004 | June 12, 2001 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARCC and WTW 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.
WTW
-0.64%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 40.40%
- Q3
- 30.52%
- Median
- 22.48%
- Q1
- 4.38%
- Min
- -5.38%
WTW has a negative Return on Equity of -0.64%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
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.
WTW
-1.51%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 11.62%
- Q3
- 11.18%
- Median
- 8.38%
- Q1
- 2.57%
- Min
- -1.51%
WTW has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -1.51%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
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.
WTW
-0.54%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 21.33%
- Q3
- 15.86%
- Median
- 10.63%
- Q1
- 1.06%
- Min
- -2.28%
WTW has a negative Net Profit Margin of -0.54%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
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.
WTW
8.87%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 28.73%
- Q3
- 23.24%
- Median
- 21.46%
- Q1
- 10.89%
- Min
- 5.35%
WTW’s Operating Profit Margin of 8.87% is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | WTW |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 11.03% | -0.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.08% | -0.19% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 208.60% | -1.51% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 67.48% | -0.54% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 91.13% | 8.87% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 95.92% | 52.69% |
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.
WTW
1.16
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 1.90
- Q3
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 1.05
WTW’s Current Ratio of 1.16 aligns with the median group of the Insurance - Brokers industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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.
WTW
0.73
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 4.59
- Q3
- 2.12
- Median
- 0.59
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.01
WTW’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.73 is typical for the Insurance - Brokers 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.
WTW
3.30
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 29.40
- Q3
- 16.65
- Median
- 7.25
- Q1
- 4.20
- Min
- 1.60
In the lower quartile for the Insurance - Brokers industry, WTW’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.30 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | WTW |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | -- | 1.16 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | -- | 1.16 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.73 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | -- | 0.21 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.35 | 1.36 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 3.77 | 3.30 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARCC and WTW. 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.
WTW
1.17%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 2.63%
- Q3
- 1.34%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WTW’s Dividend Yield of 1.17% is consistent with its peers in the Insurance - Brokers industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
WTW
-671.70%
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 45.22%
- Q3
- 39.19%
- Median
- 29.49%
- Q1
- 3.85%
- Min
- 0.00%
WTW has a negative Dividend Payout Ratio of -671.70%. This typically means the company paid a dividend despite reporting a net loss, a situation that may signal financial instability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARCC | WTW |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 8.57% | 1.17% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 81.85% | -671.70% |
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.
WTW
-578.57
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 45.50
- Q3
- 35.20
- Median
- 30.00
- Q1
- 28.34
- Min
- 26.42
WTW has a negative P/E Ratio of -578.57. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
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.
WTW
-41.18
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.77
- Q1
- 2.41
- Min
- 2.09
WTW has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -41.18. 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.
WTW
3.10
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 7.38
- Q3
- 5.34
- Median
- 4.27
- Q1
- 2.32
- Min
- 0.27
WTW’s P/S Ratio of 3.10 aligns with the market consensus for the Insurance - Brokers industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
WTW
3.77
Insurance - Brokers Industry
- Max
- 10.90
- Q3
- 8.10
- Median
- 6.93
- Q1
- 4.15
- Min
- 1.12
WTW’s P/B Ratio of 3.77 is in the lower quartile for the Insurance - Brokers 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 | WTW |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 10.53 | -578.57 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -7.92 | -41.18 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 7.30 | 3.10 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 1.11 | 3.77 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -6.47 | 20.80 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 8.15 | 10.72 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 7.00 | 3.55 |