KKR vs BX vs APO vs CG vs ARES

For growth investors, The Carlyle Group Inc.

(CG) is the stronger pick with 119. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -20. 0% for Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO). Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) offers the better valuation at 17. 8x trailing P/E (14. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR) a "Buy" — based on 26 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, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the cheapest at 17. 8x versus Ares Management Corporation at 62. 7x. On forward P/E, The Carlyle Group Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 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: 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 +165.

5%, compared to +30. 9% for The Carlyle Group Inc. (CG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARES returned +934. 1% versus CG's +295. 8%. 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), Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 43β versus The Carlyle Group Inc. 's 1. 88β — meaning CG is approximately 31% more volatile than APO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 34% versus 171% for Ares Management Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Carlyle Group Inc.

(CG) is pulling ahead at 119. 0% versus -20. 0% for Apollo Global Management, Inc. (APO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Carlyle Group Inc. grew EPS 264. 9% 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.

The Carlyle Group Inc.

(CG) is the more profitable company, earning 25. 0% net margin versus 8. 2% for Ares Management Corporation — meaning it keeps 25. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BX leads at 51. 9% versus 2. 4% for KKR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — APO leads at 95. 6%, 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, The Carlyle Group Inc. (CG) trades at 11. 9x forward P/E versus 20. 6x for Blackstone Inc. — 8. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARES: 44. 3% to $177. 38.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ares Management Corporation (ARES) offers the highest yield at 6. 6%, versus 0. 8% for KKR & Co. Inc. (KKR).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(APO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (1. 4% yield, +796. 0% 10Y return). The Carlyle Group Inc. (CG) carries a higher beta of 1. 88 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (APO: +796. 0%, CG: +295. 8%), 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: KKR is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BX is a mid-cap high-growth stock; APO is a mid-cap deep-value stock; CG is a mid-cap high-growth stock; ARES 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.