ARES vs. HLI: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARES and HLI, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ARES’s market capitalization of 38.26 billion USD is substantially larger than HLI’s 12.95 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
ARES’s beta of 1.40 points to significantly higher volatility compared to HLI (beta: 0.85), suggesting ARES has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | ARES | HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ares Management Corporation | Houlihan Lokey, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| Industry | Asset Management | Financial - Capital Markets |
| CEO | Michael J. Arougheti | Scott Joseph Adelson |
| Price | 177.96 USD | 185.51 USD |
| Market Cap | 38.26 billion USD | 12.95 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.40 | 0.85 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 2, 2014 | August 13, 2015 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARES and HLI 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.
HLI
19.88%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 42.02%
- Q3
- 20.69%
- Median
- 13.73%
- Q1
- 3.33%
- Min
- -21.32%
HLI’s Return on Equity of 19.88% 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.
HLI
10.39%
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.
HLI
16.73%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 28.67%
- Q3
- 13.52%
- Median
- 10.47%
- Q1
- 0.24%
- Min
- -9.55%
A Net Profit Margin of 16.73% places HLI in the upper quartile for the Financial - Capital Markets industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
HLI
20.99%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 56.86%
- Q3
- 25.29%
- Median
- 15.90%
- Q1
- 0.51%
- Min
- -19.18%
HLI’s Operating Profit Margin of 20.99% 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 | HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 17.03% | 19.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.89% | 10.46% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 15.74% | 10.39% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.46% | 16.73% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 27.62% | 20.99% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 60.51% | 34.71% |
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.
HLI
26.07
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.
HLI
0.20
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 3.63
- Q3
- 1.68
- Median
- 0.37
- Q1
- 0.09
- Min
- 0.00
HLI’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.20 is typical for the Financial - Capital Markets 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
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.
HLI
--
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 | HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 26.07 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 26.07 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.15 | 0.20 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.11 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.04 | -0.95 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.95 | -- |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARES and HLI. 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.
HLI
1.25%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 5.86%
- Q3
- 1.74%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HLI’s Dividend Yield of 1.25% is consistent with its peers in the Financial - Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
HLI
41.33%
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 128.06%
- Q3
- 43.11%
- Median
- 12.56%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HLI’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 41.33% is within the typical range for the Financial - Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.30% | 1.25% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 323.36% | 41.33% |
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.
HLI
30.73
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 42.65
- Q3
- 29.09
- Median
- 20.52
- Q1
- 14.58
- Min
- 8.28
A P/E Ratio of 30.73 places HLI in the upper quartile for the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
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.
HLI
2.02
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 4.05
- Q3
- 2.46
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.02
HLI’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.02 is within the middle range of its peers in the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
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.
HLI
5.42
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.
HLI
5.65
Financial - Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 9.60
- Q3
- 6.00
- Median
- 2.91
- Q1
- 1.84
- Min
- 0.53
HLI’s P/B Ratio of 5.65 is within the conventional range for the Financial - Capital Markets industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARES | HLI |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 72.45 | 30.73 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.26 | 2.02 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 7.78 | 5.42 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 8.36 | 5.65 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 6.96 | 16.01 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 23.40 | 22.20 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 7.80 | 5.20 |