SSSS vs GAIN vs HTGC vs ARCC

For growth investors, SuRo Capital Corp.

(SSSS) is the stronger pick with 646. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -20. 5% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) offers the better valuation at 3. 2x trailing P/E (37. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 3.

2x versus Ares Capital Corporation at 10. 4x. On forward P/E, SuRo Capital Corp. is actually cheaper at 2. 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: Ares Capital Corporation wins at 0. 98x versus Gladstone Investment Corporation's 1. 26x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) delivered a total return of +55.

1%, compared to +39. 0% for SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SSSS returned +365. 2% versus ARCC's +155. 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), Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

47β versus SuRo Capital Corp. 's 1. 54β — meaning SSSS is approximately 227% more volatile than GAIN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 112% for Ares Capital Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), SuRo Capital Corp.

(SSSS) is pulling ahead at 646. 5% versus -20. 5% for Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: SuRo Capital Corp. grew EPS 211. 2% 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.

Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) is the more profitable company, earning 258.

5% net margin versus 41. 3% for Ares Capital Corporation — meaning it keeps 258. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GAIN leads at 315. 8% versus 66. 7% for HTGC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SSSS leads at 100. 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, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 98x versus Gladstone Investment Corporation's 1. 26x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS) trades at 2. 9x forward P/E versus 37. 9x for Gladstone Investment Corporation — 35. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HTGC: 13. 4% to $17. 58.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Gladstone Investment Corporation (GAIN) offers the highest yield at 9. 6%, versus 2. 0% for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC).

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.

47), 9. 6% yield, +285. 0% 10Y return). SuRo Capital Corp. (SSSS) carries a higher beta of 1. 54 — 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: +285. 0%, SSSS: +365. 2%), 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: SSSS is a small-cap high-growth stock; GAIN is a small-cap deep-value stock; HTGC is a small-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.