ARES vs BX

For growth investors, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the stronger pick with 66.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 21. 6% for Blackstone Inc. (BX). Blackstone Inc. (BX) offers the better valuation at 31. 5x trailing P/E (20. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ares Management Corporation (ARES) a "Buy" — based on 22 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the cheapest at 31. 5x versus Ares Management Corporation at 62. 8x. On forward P/E, Ares Management Corporation is actually cheaper at 20. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Blackstone Inc. wins at 0. 98x versus Ares Management Corporation's 1. 15x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) delivered a total return of +160.

2%, compared to +59. 0% for Blackstone Inc. (BX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARES returned +929. 6% versus BX's +476. 1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 53β versus Ares Management Corporation's 1. 62β — meaning ARES is approximately 6% more volatile than BX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 171% for Ares Management Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is pulling ahead at 66.

6% versus 21. 6% for Blackstone Inc. (BX). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Blackstone Inc. grew EPS 7. 2% year-over-year, compared to -5. 3% for Ares Management Corporation. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Blackstone Inc.

(BX) is the more profitable company, earning 21. 8% net margin versus 8. 2% for Ares Management Corporation — meaning it keeps 21. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BX leads at 51. 9% versus 27. 2% for ARES. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BX leads at 86. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Blackstone Inc. (BX) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 98x versus Ares Management Corporation's 1. 15x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) trades at 20. 2x forward P/E versus 20. 5x for Blackstone Inc. — 0. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARES: 44. 0% to $177. 38.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ares Management Corporation (ARES) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 6. 3% for Blackstone Inc. (BX).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (6.

6% yield, +929. 6% 10Y return). Blackstone Inc. (BX) carries a higher beta of 1. 53 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ARES: +929. 6%, BX: +476. 1%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Financial Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.