ARCC ARES CAPITAL CORP

Nasdaq MD CIK: 0001287750
AI RATING
SELL
68% Confidence

Investment Thesis

ARCC exhibits deteriorating fundamentals with net income declining 14.7% YoY and EPS contracting 23.8%, indicating portfolio underperformance or rising credit losses. Critically low profitability metrics (0.7% ROE, 0.3% ROA) demonstrate poor capital efficiency, while elevated leverage (1.13x debt-to-equity) amplifies downside risk in a stressed credit environment. The company's core investment function is generating inadequate returns relative to its capital structure and leverage burden.

Strengths

  • + Positive operating cash flow of $184M provides liquidity cushion
  • + Substantial asset base of $30.7B enables portfolio diversification across middle-market investments
  • + Free cash flow equals operating cash flow, indicating manageable capital expenditure discipline

Risks

  • ! Steep EPS decline of 23.8% YoY significantly outpaces net income decline, signaling share dilution or secondary offerings diluting shareholder value
  • ! Dangerously low return metrics (0.7% ROE, 0.3% ROA) indicate portfolio assets are underperforming or portfolio companies deteriorating in credit quality
  • ! High leverage of 1.13x debt-to-equity combined with declining earnings creates covenant risk and limits financial flexibility if portfolio stress continues

Key Metrics to Watch

Financial Metrics

Revenue
N/A
Net Income
92.0M
EPS (Diluted)
$0.13
Free Cash Flow
184.0M
Total Assets
30.7B
Cash
505.0M

Profitability Ratios

Gross Margin N/A
Operating Margin N/A
Net Margin N/A
ROE 0.7%
ROA 0.3%
FCF Margin N/A

Balance Sheet & Liquidity

Current Ratio
N/A
Quick Ratio
N/A
Debt/Equity
1.13x
Debt/Assets
54.2%
Interest Coverage
N/A
Long-term Debt
15.8B
Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI based on publicly available SEC EDGAR filings. It does not include stock price data and should not be considered financial advice. All fundamental data is sourced from SEC public domain filings. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Data Source: SEC EDGAR | Analysis Date: 2026-05-06T12:42:05.541207 | Data as of: 2026-03-31 | Powered by Claude AI