GAIN vs BX vs KKR vs APO vs ARCC

For growth investors, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is the stronger pick with 32.

9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -12. 9% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) offers the better valuation at 9. 3x trailing P/E (40. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Blackstone Inc. (BX) a "Buy" — based on 29 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, Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the cheapest at 9.

3x versus KKR & Co. Inc. at 42. 9x. On forward P/E, Ares Capital Corporation is actually cheaper at 9. 9x — 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: Apollo Global Management, Inc. wins at 0. 19x versus Blackstone Inc. 's 0. 98x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) delivered a total return of +135. 1%, compared to +47. 0% for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APO returned +759. 2% versus ARCC's +139. 2%. 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), Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

53β versus KKR & Co. Inc. 's 1. 70β — meaning KKR is approximately 219% more volatile than GAIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 31% versus 112% for Ares Capital Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is pulling ahead at 32.

9% versus -12. 9% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Blackstone Inc. grew EPS 7. 2% year-over-year, compared to -28. 7% for KKR & Co. Inc.. 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.

Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the more profitable company, earning 72.

7% net margin versus 12. 3% for KKR & Co. Inc. — meaning it keeps 72. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GAIN leads at 72. 7% versus 2. 4% for KKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — APO leads at 88. 5%, 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, Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 19x versus Blackstone Inc. 's 0. 98x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) trades at 9. 9x forward P/E versus 40. 7x for Gladstone Investment Corporation — 30. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for KKR: 42. 5% to $143. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) offers the highest yield at 10. 0%, versus 0. 8% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

53), 10. 0% yield, +319. 3% 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 (GAIN: +319. 3%, 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.

In terms of investment character: GAIN is a small-cap deep-value stock; BX is a mid-cap high-growth stock; KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; APO is a mid-cap high-growth stock; ARCC is a mid-cap high-growth stock. 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.