ARES vs. VIRT: Ares Management vs. Virtu Financial Stock Comparison
How do Ares Management (ARES) and Virtu Financial (VIRT) 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 Virtu Financial (VIRT) both belong to the Capital Markets industry, though ARES is classified under Asset Management & Custody Banks while VIRT falls under Investment Banking & Brokerage.
| Profile Item | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ares Management Corp. Class A Common Stock | Virtu Financial Inc. Class A Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Financial Services |
| GICS Industry | Capital Markets | Capital Markets |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Asset Management & Custody Banks | Investment Banking & Brokerage |
| Market Capitalization | 44.45 billion USD | 11.67 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 2, 2014 | April 16, 2015 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -5.55% | 57.98% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 13.18% | 51.24% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 13.38% | 19.25% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Ares Management (ARES) has an aggressive beta of 1.45, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Virtu Financial (VIRT) is defensive at 0.69 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 44.09% | 37.43% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.45 | 0.69 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -49.97% | -54.52% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.20M | 1.26M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.22 | 1.43 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.31 | 2.27 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Virtu Financial (VIRT) earns 57.03% 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
- --
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
57.03%
- VIRT
- 57.03%
- Max
- 44.78%
- Q3
- 21.85%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 4.48%
- Min
- -18.71%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Ares Management (ARES) at 8.69% and Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 17.96% 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%
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
17.96%
- Max
- 62.84%
- Q3
- 28.05%
- VIRT
- 17.96%
- Median
- 15.36%
- Q1
- 4.82%
- Min
- -28.52%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 36.32% 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%
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
36.32%
- Max
- 107.33%
- Q3
- 55.90%
- VIRT
- 36.32%
- Median
- 30.09%
- Q1
- 14.60%
- Min
- -44.34%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | -- | 57.03% |
| ROA (TTM) | -- | 5.01% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 8.69% | 17.96% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 2.89% | 36.32% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | -- | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ares Management (ARES) at 44.19% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 26.25% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ARES.
EPS Growth
Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 72.73% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Ares Management (ARES) at -16.67% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for VIRT.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 44.19% | 26.25% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 22.39% | 15.38% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -16.67% | 72.73% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 25.02% | 28.11% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
current ratio doesn’t apply on either side: Ares Management (ARES) in Financial Services and Virtu Financial (VIRT) 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 Virtu Financial (VIRT) 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 | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | -- | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -- | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both Ares Management (ARES) at 3.87% and Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 1.78% 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%
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
1.78%
- Max
- 9.77%
- Q3
- 3.92%
- VIRT
- 1.78%
- 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 Virtu Financial (VIRT) reports 15.95%, 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%
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
15.95%
- Max
- 241.07%
- Q3
- 97.36%
- Median
- 25.77%
- VIRT
- 15.95%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.87% | 1.78% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 423.77% | 15.95% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 7.92 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
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
7.92
- Max
- 45.85
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 15.37
- Q1
- 9.68
- VIRT
- 7.92
- Min
- 0.16
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 3.35 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
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
3.35
- Max
- 9.23
- Q3
- 4.57
- VIRT
- 3.35
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.28
- Min
- -0.55
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Virtu Financial (VIRT) at 1.92 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
VIRT
Financial Services industry group
1.92
- Max
- 7.79
- Q3
- 3.63
- VIRT
- 1.92
- Median
- 1.57
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- -0.39
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARES | VIRT |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 109.82 | 7.92 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 8.92 | 3.35 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 12.15 | 1.92 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -- | -- |