ARES vs. CRCL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARES and CRCL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ARES’s market capitalization stands at 38.26 billion USD, while CRCL’s is 34.37 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
| Symbol | ARES | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ares Management Corporation | Circle Internet Group |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Asset Management | Financial - Capital Markets |
| CEO | Michael J. Arougheti | Jeremy D. Allaire |
| Price | 177.96 USD | 188.77 USD |
| Market Cap | 38.26 billion USD | 34.37 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.40 | -- |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 2, 2014 | June 4, 2025 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARES and CRCL 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
ARES
17.03%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 34.25%
- Q3
- 18.22%
- Median
- 11.24%
- Q1
- 5.81%
- Min
- -5.72%
ARES’s Return on Equity of 17.03% is on par with the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
CRCL
15.23%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 42.02%
- Q3
- 20.69%
- Median
- 13.73%
- Q1
- 3.33%
- Min
- -21.32%
CRCL’s Return on Equity of 15.23% is on par with the norm for the Financial - Capital Markets industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ARES
15.74%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 42.18%
- Q3
- 20.06%
- Median
- 8.68%
- Q1
- 3.13%
- Min
- -16.42%
ARES’s Return on Invested Capital of 15.74% is in line with the norm for the Asset Management industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
CRCL
5.13%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 30.24%
- Q3
- 13.34%
- Median
- 6.20%
- Q1
- -1.71%
- Min
- -16.91%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Financial - Capital Markets industry.
Net Profit Margin
ARES
10.46%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 91.66%
- Q3
- 57.81%
- Median
- 29.48%
- Q1
- 15.70%
- Min
- -27.65%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry, ARES’s Net Profit Margin of 10.46% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
CRCL
12.02%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 28.67%
- Q3
- 13.52%
- Median
- 10.47%
- Q1
- 0.24%
- Min
- -9.55%
CRCL’s Net Profit Margin of 12.02% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ARES
27.62%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 99.76%
- Q3
- 78.28%
- Median
- 34.76%
- Q1
- 21.75%
- Min
- -48.25%
ARES’s Operating Profit Margin of 27.62% is around the midpoint for the Asset Management industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
CRCL
15.39%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 56.86%
- Q3
- 25.29%
- Median
- 15.90%
- Q1
- 0.51%
- Min
- -19.18%
CRCL’s Operating Profit Margin of 15.39% is around the midpoint for the Financial - Capital Markets industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 17.03% | 15.23% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.89% | 0.18% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 15.74% | 5.13% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.46% | 12.02% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.62% | 15.39% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.51% | 26.76% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ARES
0.90
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 12.44
- Q3
- 5.76
- Median
- 3.04
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.01
ARES’s Current Ratio of 0.90 falls into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
CRCL
1.02
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 4.60
- Q3
- 3.24
- Median
- 1.32
- Q1
- 0.96
- Min
- 0.05
For the Financial - Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ARES
0.15
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 2.62
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.34
- Min
- 0.01
Falling into the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry, ARES’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.15 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
CRCL
0.05
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 3.63
- Q3
- 1.68
- Median
- 0.37
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Financial - Capital Markets industry, CRCL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.05 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ARES
1.95
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.30
- Q3
- 6.30
- Median
- 2.71
- Q1
- 1.00
- Min
- -6.91
ARES’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 1.95 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Asset Management industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
CRCL
174.59
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 12.71
- Q3
- 7.94
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- -7.71
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial - Capital Markets industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 1.02 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 1.02 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.04 | -4.29 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.95 | 174.59 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARES and CRCL. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ARES
2.30%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 26.09%
- Q3
- 11.60%
- Median
- 6.37%
- Q1
- 2.75%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARES’s Dividend Yield of 2.30% is in the lower quartile for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
CRCL
0.00%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 5.86%
- Q3
- 1.74%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRCL currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ARES
323.36%
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 1,034.88%
- Q3
- 127.70%
- Median
- 75.15%
- Q1
- 34.21%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARES’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 323.36% 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.
CRCL
0.00%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 128.06%
- Q3
- 43.11%
- Median
- 12.56%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CRCL has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.30% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 323.36% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ARES
72.45
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 38.72
- Q3
- 23.40
- Median
- 11.45
- Q1
- 8.80
- Min
- 1.54
At 72.45, ARES’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
CRCL
370.35
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 42.65
- Q3
- 29.09
- Median
- 20.52
- Q1
- 14.58
- Min
- 8.28
At 370.35, CRCL’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ARES
3.26
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.89
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.26 places ARES in the upper quartile for the Asset Management industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
CRCL
3.70
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 4.05
- Q3
- 2.46
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.70 places CRCL in the upper quartile for the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ARES
7.78
Asset Management Industry
- Max
- 13.75
- Q3
- 7.92
- Median
- 4.87
- Q1
- 3.51
- Min
- 0.02
ARES’s P/S Ratio of 7.78 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.
CRCL
36.42
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 14.34
- Q3
- 7.63
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.50
- Min
- 0.04
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial - Capital Markets industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ARES
8.36
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.
CRCL
56.39
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 9.60
- Q3
- 6.00
- Median
- 2.91
- Q1
- 1.84
- Min
- 0.53
At 56.39, CRCL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | CRCL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 72.45 | 370.35 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.26 | 3.70 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 7.78 | 36.42 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 8.36 | 56.39 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 6.96 | 303.64 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 23.40 | 177.56 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 7.80 | 35.57 |