ARCC vs OBDC vs JPM

For growth investors, Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) is the stronger pick with 52.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 3% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) offers the better valuation at 8. 8x trailing P/E (8. 4x 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, Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) is the cheapest at 8.

8x versus JPMorgan Chase & Co. at 16. 2x. On forward P/E, Blue Owl Capital Corporation is actually cheaper at 8. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: JPMorgan Chase & Co. wins at 0. 83x versus Blue Owl Capital Corporation's 1. 91x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) delivered a total return of +135. 5%, compared to +29. 2% for Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: JPM returned +481. 2% versus OBDC's +37. 6%. 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 Capital Corporation (ARCC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

65β versus JPMorgan Chase & Co. 's 0. 87β — meaning JPM is approximately 34% more volatile than ARCC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 112% versus 3% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) is pulling ahead at 52.

6% versus 3. 3% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew EPS 1. 5% 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.

Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is the more profitable company, earning 41.

3% net margin versus 20. 4% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — meaning it keeps 41. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OBDC leads at 73. 2% versus 26. 0% for JPM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARCC leads at 75. 7%, 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, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 83x versus Blue Owl Capital Corporation's 1. 91x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) trades at 8. 4x forward P/E versus 14. 6x for JPMorgan Chase & Co. — 6. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for OBDC: 19. 6% to $13. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Blue Owl Capital Corporation (OBDC) offers the highest yield at 13. 7%, versus 1. 8% for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM).

For long-horizon retirement investors, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

(JPM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 87), 1. 8% yield, +481. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (JPM: +481. 2%, OBDC: +37. 6%), 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: ARCC is a mid-cap high-growth stock; OBDC is a small-cap high-growth stock; JPM is a large-cap deep-value 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.