OWL vs ARES

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

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 25. 0% for Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL). Ares Management Corporation (ARES) offers the better valuation at 63. 2x trailing P/E (20. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL) a "Buy" — based on 19 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, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the cheapest at 63.

2x versus Blue Owl Capital Inc. at 87. 8x. On forward P/E, Blue Owl Capital Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Ares Management Corporation (ARES) delivered a total return of +161.

3%, compared to +34. 4% for Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARES returned +938. 3% versus OWL's +31. 5%. 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), Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the lower-risk stock at 1.

62β versus Blue Owl Capital Inc. 's 1. 64β — meaning OWL is approximately 1% more volatile than ARES relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 64% 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 25. 0% for Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Ares Management Corporation grew EPS -5. 3% year-over-year, compared to -40. 0% for Blue Owl Capital 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.

Ares Management Corporation (ARES) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

2% net margin versus 2. 7% for Blue Owl Capital Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ARES leads at 27. 2% versus 21. 9% for OWL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARES leads at 74. 8%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Blue Owl Capital Inc.

(OWL) trades at 11. 9x forward P/E versus 20. 3x for Ares Management Corporation — 8. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OWL: 49. 7% to $15. 78.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL) offers the highest yield at 7. 8%, versus 6. 5% for Ares Management Corporation (ARES).

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.

5% yield, +938. 3% 10Y return). Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL) carries a higher beta of 1. 64 — 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: +938. 3%, OWL: +31. 5%), 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.