Side-by-Side Metrics
Ares Capital and Main Street Capital: widely owned BDCs that lend to middle-market companies and pay high distributions. A go-to pair for comparing BDC dividend income.
- MetricARCCMAIN
- CompanyAres CapitalMain Street Capital
- Income
- Current Yield10.34%8.20%
- FrequencyQuarterlyMonthly
- Safety
- Payout Ratio117.79%90.32%
- FCF covers dividendFailPass
- No dividend cuts (10Y)FailFail
- FCF Payout RatioPassPass
- Net Debt / EBITDAFailFail
- Div growth vs. EPS (5Y)FailFail
- Growth
- Div Growth (5Y CAGR)3.71%13.41%
- Consecutive Growth Years06
- CCC classification—Dividend Challenger
- Context
- Chowder score14.1%21.6%
- Yield zone (vs 5Y avg)BUYBUY
- Overall Score1 / 76 / 7
| Metric | ARCC | MAIN |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Ares Capital | Main Street Capital |
| Income | ||
| Current Yield | 10.34% | 8.20% |
| Frequency | Quarterly | Monthly |
| Safety | ||
| Payout Ratio | 117.79% | 90.32% |
| FCF covers dividend | Fail | Pass |
| No dividend cuts (10Y) | Fail | Fail |
| FCF Payout Ratio | Pass | Pass |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | Fail | Fail |
| Div growth vs. EPS (5Y) | Fail | Fail |
| Growth | ||
| Div Growth (5Y CAGR) | 3.71% | 13.41% |
| Consecutive Growth Years | 0 | 6 |
| CCC classification | — | Dividend Challenger |
| Context | ||
| Chowder score | 14.1% | 21.6% |
| Yield zone (vs 5Y avg) | BUY | BUY |
| Overall Score | 1 / 7 | 6 / 7 |
This analysis is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Safety scores and comparisons reflect historical data and do not predict future performance.
Income Comparison
How ARCC and MAIN payouts compare on a $10,000 position — annual total, per-payment cash, and smoothed monthly equivalent.
| Metric | ARCC | MAIN |
|---|---|---|
| Annual income | $1,034.48 | $820.42 |
| Payment frequency | Quarterly (4×/yr) | Monthly (12×/yr) |
| Per payment | $258.62 | $68.37 |
| Avg monthly | $86.21 | $68.37 |
Dividend Growth
Historical compound annual growth of dividends per share. Bars use one scale across all periods.
Frequently asked questions
Ares Capital (ARCC) vs Main Street Capital (MAIN) Dividend Tools & Insights
Per-company dividend calculators and forecasts — click any row to explore.
Ares Capital (ARCC)
Main Street Capital (MAIN)