ARES vs. SYF: Ares Management vs. Synchrony Financial Stock Comparison
How do Ares Management (ARES) and Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF) both fall under the Financial Services industry group, but ARES is classified in Capital Markets while SYF is classified in Consumer Finance.
| Profile Item | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ares Management Corp. Class A Common Stock | Synchrony Financial |
| 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 | 23.99 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 2, 2014 | July 31, 2014 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -5.55% | 2.84% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 13.18% | 39.02% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 13.38% | 10.89% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 44.09% | 31.32% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.45 | 1.40 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -49.97% | -44.60% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.20M | 3.37M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.22 | -0.05 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.31 | -0.06 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Synchrony Financial (SYF) earns 19.83% 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
- --
SYF
Financial Services industry group
19.83%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- SYF
- 19.83%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 34.07% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ares Management (ARES) at 8.69%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.
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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
34.07%
- Max
- 62.84%
- SYF
- 34.07%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 49.84% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
49.84%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- SYF
- 49.84%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | -- | 19.83% |
| ROA (TTM) | -- | 2.78% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 8.69% | 34.07% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 2.89% | 49.84% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ares Management (ARES) at 44.19% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Synchrony Financial (SYF) at -0.50% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Both Ares Management (ARES) at -16.67% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 8.54% 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 | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 44.19% | -0.50% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 22.39% | 8.67% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -16.67% | 8.54% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 25.02% | 14.70% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Ares Management (ARES) in Financial Services and Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF) 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 | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Ares Management (ARES) at 3.87% and Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.67% 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
1.67%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- SYF
- 1.67%
- 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 Synchrony Financial (SYF) reports 12.94%, 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%
SYF
Financial Services industry group
12.94%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- SYF
- 12.94%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.87% | 1.67% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 423.77% | 12.94% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 7.70 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Ares Management (ARES) at 109.82 trades above its peer range — a wide earnings-valuation gap relative to industry peers.
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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
7.70
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- SYF
- 7.70
- Min
- 0.16
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 2.45 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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
2.45
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.72
- SYF
- 2.45
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Synchrony Financial (SYF) at 1.55 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Ares Management (ARES) at 12.15 prices above its benchmark range — ARES looks rich relative to book.
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
SYF
Financial Services industry group
1.55
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- Median
- 1.57
- SYF
- 1.55
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARES | SYF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 109.82 | 7.70 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 8.92 | 2.45 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 12.15 | 1.55 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |