ARES vs. AXP: Ares Management vs. American Express Stock Comparison
How do Ares Management (ARES) and American Express (AXP) 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 Management (ARES) and American Express (AXP) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but ARES is classified in Capital Markets while AXP is classified in Consumer Finance.
| Profile Item | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ares Management Corp. Class A Common Stock | American Express Company |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| GICS Industry | Capital Markets | Consumer Finance |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Asset Management & Custody Banks | Consumer Finance |
| Market Capitalization | 44.45 billion USD | 215.24 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 2, 2014 | June 1, 1972 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -5.55% | -10.80% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 13.18% | 30.19% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 13.38% | 13.96% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 44.09% | 26.18% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.45 | 1.06 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -49.97% | -31.55% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.20M | 2.91M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.22 | -0.58 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.31 | -0.74 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: American Express (AXP) earns 35.93% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Ares Management (ARES) has no ROE this period.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
--
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
- ARES
- --
AXP
Financial Services industry group
35.93%
- Max
- 44.78%
- AXP
- 35.93%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Ares Management (ARES) at 8.69% and American Express (AXP) at 16.82% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
8.69%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- Median
- 15.36%
- ARES
- 8.69%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
AXP
Financial Services industry group
16.82%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- AXP
- 16.82%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
American Express (AXP) at 18.43% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while Ares Management (ARES) at 2.89% operates in the bottom quartile.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
2.89%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- ARES
- 2.89%
- Min
- -44.34%
AXP
Financial Services industry group
18.43%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- Median
- 30.09%
- AXP
- 18.43%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | -- | 35.93% |
| ROA (TTM) | -- | 4.03% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 8.69% | 16.82% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 2.89% | 18.43% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ares Management (ARES) at 44.19% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while American Express (AXP) at 9.52% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ARES.
EPS Growth
Both Ares Management (ARES) at -16.67% and American Express (AXP) at 9.78% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 44.19% | 9.52% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 22.39% | 10.97% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -16.67% | 9.78% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 25.02% | 16.01% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Ares Management (ARES) in Financial Services and American Express (AXP) 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 Management (ARES) in Financial Services and American Express (AXP) 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 | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Ares Management (ARES) at 3.87% and American Express (AXP) at 1.13% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
3.87%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- ARES
- 3.87%
- Median
- 1.09%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP
Financial Services industry group
1.13%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- AXP
- 1.13%
- Median
- 1.09%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Ares Management (ARES) reports payout ratio above 100% at 423.77%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile American Express (AXP) reports 15.32%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
423.77%
- ARES
- 423.77%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP
Financial Services industry group
15.32%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- AXP
- 15.32%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.87% | 1.13% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 423.77% | 15.32% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
American Express (AXP) at 18.08 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ares Management (ARES) at 109.82 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for ARES’s trailing earnings.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
109.82
- ARES
- 109.82
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- Min
- 0.16
AXP
Financial Services industry group
18.08
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- AXP
- 18.08
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- Min
- 0.16
P/S Ratio (TTM)
American Express (AXP) at 2.95 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Ares Management (ARES) at 8.92 sits in the pricier quartile — ARES costs more per dollar of sales.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
8.92
- Max
- 9.23
- ARES
- 8.92
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
AXP
Financial Services industry group
2.95
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- AXP
- 2.95
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both look rich against book: American Express (AXP) at 6.02 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Ares Management (ARES) at 12.15 prices even higher, above its industry range.
ARES
Financial Services industry group
12.15
- ARES
- 12.15
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
AXP
Financial Services industry group
6.02
- Max
- 7.79
- AXP
- 6.02
- Q3
- 3.63
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARES | AXP |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 109.82 | 18.08 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 8.92 | 2.95 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 12.15 | 6.02 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |