TCPC vs CGBD vs ARCC vs GBDC

For growth investors, Golub Capital BDC, Inc.

(GBDC) is the stronger pick with 42. 5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -467. 7% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) offers the better valuation at 7. 5x trailing P/E (8. 1x 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. 5x versus Ares Capital Corporation at 10. 2x. On forward P/E, BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. is actually cheaper at 5. 6x — 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: Golub Capital BDC, Inc. wins at 0. 30x versus Ares Capital Corporation's 0. 96x — 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. 5%, compared to -24. 2% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARCC returned +139. 2% versus TCPC's +21. 9%. 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), Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc.

(CGBD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 61β versus BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. 's 0. 77β — meaning TCPC is approximately 26% more volatile than CGBD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 107% versus 173% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Golub Capital BDC, Inc.

(GBDC) is pulling ahead at 42. 5% versus -467. 7% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Golub Capital BDC, Inc. grew EPS 4. 4% year-over-year, compared to -32. 9% for BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.. 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.

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.

(TCPC) is the more profitable company, earning 116. 5% net margin versus 41. 3% for Ares Capital Corporation — meaning it keeps 116. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GBDC leads at 78. 9% versus 29. 9% for TCPC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TCPC leads at 122. 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. 30x versus Ares Capital Corporation's 0. 96x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) trades at 5. 6x forward P/E versus 9. 9x for Ares Capital Corporation — 4. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TCPC: 83. 5% to $8. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (TCPC) offers the highest yield at 25. 7%, versus 0. 2% for Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (CGBD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Golub Capital BDC, Inc.

(GBDC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 64), 10. 5% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GBDC: +61. 0%, CGBD: +47. 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: TCPC is a small-cap income-oriented 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. TCPC, 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.