EICA vs CGBD vs ARCC vs GBDC

For growth investors, Eagle Point Income Company Inc.

(EICA) is the stronger pick with 70. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 9% for Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD). Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) offers the better valuation at 7. 3x trailing P/E (7. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) a "Buy" — based on 32 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, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) is the cheapest at 7. 3x versus Ares Capital Corporation at 10. 2x. On forward P/E, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. is actually cheaper at 7. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Golub Capital BDC, Inc. wins at 0. 31x versus Ares Capital Corporation's 0. 97x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) delivered a total return of +48. 8%, compared to +24. 7% for Eagle Point Income Company Inc. (EICA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARCC returned +139. 6% versus EICA's +24. 7%. 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), Eagle Point Income Company Inc.

(EICA) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 06β versus Ares Capital Corporation's 0. 75β — meaning ARCC is approximately 1175% more volatile than EICA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Eagle Point Income Company Inc. (EICA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 123% for Golub Capital BDC, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eagle Point Income Company Inc.

(EICA) is pulling ahead at 70. 7% versus -2. 9% for Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Golub Capital BDC, Inc. grew EPS 4. 4% year-over-year, compared to -23. 8% for Ares Capital 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.

Eagle Point Income Company Inc.

(EICA) is the more profitable company, earning 91. 0% net margin versus 41. 3% for Ares Capital Corporation — meaning it keeps 91. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EICA leads at 107. 6% versus 54. 7% for CGBD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EICA leads at 94. 1%, 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, Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (GBDC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 31x versus Ares Capital Corporation's 0. 97x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) trades at 7. 9x forward P/E versus 9. 9x for Ares Capital Corporation — 2. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CGBD: 30. 2% to $15. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (GBDC) offers the highest yield at 10. 5%, versus 0. 2% for Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Eagle Point Income Company Inc.

(EICA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 06), 9. 3% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EICA: +24. 7%, CGBD: +46. 4%), 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.

In terms of investment character: EICA is a small-cap high-growth stock; CGBD is a small-cap deep-value stock; ARCC is a mid-cap high-growth stock; GBDC is a small-cap high-growth stock. EICA, ARCC, GBDC pay a dividend while CGBD does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.