Trailing Dividend / Share
$1.81
Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) Dividend History
Income profile from 2004 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
9.4%
Payout Ratio
97.3%
At Risk
Dividend Streak
0 years
ARCC Dividend Income Check
Safety
97.3% payout ratio with at risk safety profile.
Consistency
0 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 11.6% and trend is rising.
ARCC Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield9.4%
Trailing DPS$1.81
FrequencyQuarterly
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout97.3%
Earnings SafetyAt Risk
FCF Payout122.1%
FCF SafetyStretched
Piotroski F-Score2/9
Growth
Growth Streak0 years
3Y CAGR0.9%
5Y CAGR3.7%
Yield on Cost (5Y)11.6%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield0.0%
Total Shareholder Yield9.4%
1Y Total Return1.5%
5Y Total Return41.9%
Div Contribution (5Y)47.0%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$14,18710Y ago$23,48120Y ago$30,593
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
ARCC Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (23 years of payments)
ARCC Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
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Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Ares Capital Corporation distributes 97.3% of earnings as dividends (At Risk). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 122.1%, rated "Stretched".
Piotroski F-Score: 2/9 — weak financial health.
Growth Track Record
ARCC does not have a current streak of consecutive dividend increases, with a 3-year CAGR of 0.9% and 5-year CAGR of 3.7%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, ARCC returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 9.4% dividend yield, 9.4% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 11.6% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 41.9%, with dividends contributing 47.0% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $23,481 today.
Elevated payout ratio — dividend sustainability should be monitored closely.
ARCC Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Quarterly
TTM Total$9.48
Avg/Payment$0.4740
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2026Latest | $0.4800 | — | 9.91% | Sep 30, 2026 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | $0.4800 | — | 10.31% | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Mar 13, 2026 | $0.4800 | — | 10.75% | Mar 31, 2026 |
| Dec 15, 2025 | $0.4800 | — | 9.45% | Dec 30, 2025 |
| Sep 15, 2025 | $0.4800 | — | 9.01% | Sep 30, 2025 |
| Jun 13, 2025 | $0.4800 | — | 8.92% | Jun 30, 2025 |
| Mar 14, 2025 | $0.4800 | — | 9.02% | Mar 31, 2025 |
| Dec 13, 2024 | $0.4800 | — | 8.85% | Dec 30, 2024 |
ARCC Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#7 yield in peer group
Div Yield
9.4%
#7 of 9
Safety
At Risk
97.3% payout
Streak
0Y
3.7% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
9.4%
#7 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCCAres Capital Corpora… | $13.8B | 9.4% | 97.3% | 0 | At Risk |
 GBDCGolub Capital BDC, I… | $3.2B | 11.1% | 97.9% | 0 | At Risk |
 OBDCBlue Owl Capital Cor… | $5.4B | 13.6% | 1.2% | 0 | Sustainable |
2nd  TPVGTriplePoint Venture … | $200M | 20.8% | 83.9% | 0 | Watch |
 HTGCHercules Capital, In… | $3.2B | 8.4% | 81.3% | 0 | Watch |
1st  PSECProspect Capital Cor… | $1.1B | 34.8% | — | 0 | Unknown |
 MAINMain Street Capital … | $5.1B | 6.9% | 68.8% | 5 | Watch |
3rd  SLRCSLR Investment Corp. | $642M | 13.9% | 96.7% | 0 | At Risk |
 CGBDCarlyle Secured Lend… | $780M | 13.4% | 1.5% | 0 | Sustainable |
ARCC Annual Dividend History (2004–2026)
23 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $1.44 | — | 3 | — | — | — | 8.7% |
| 2025 | $1.92 | 0.0% | 4 | $1.86 | 103.2% | 0.97x | 11.6% |
| 2024 | $1.92 | 0.0% | 4 | $2.44 | 78.7% | 1.27x | 11.6% |
| 2023 | $1.92 | 2.7% | 4 | $2.68 | 71.6% | 1.40x | 11.6% |
| 2022 | $1.87 | 15.4% | 4 | $1.19 | 157.1% | 0.64x | 11.3% |
| 2021 | $1.62 | 1.2% | 4 | $3.51 | 46.2% | 2.17x | 9.8% |
| 2020 | $1.60 | -4.8% | 4 | $1.14 | 140.4% | 0.71x | 9.7% |
| 2019 | $1.68 | 9.1% | 4 | $1.86 | 90.3% | 1.11x | 10.2% |
| 2018 | $1.54 | 1.3% | 4 | $2.01 | 76.6% | 1.31x | 9.3% |
| 2017 | $1.52 | 0.0% | 4 | $1.57 | 96.8% | 1.03x | 9.2% |
Consensus & Technical Research Suite
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ARCC — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying ARCC stock.
How much dividend does ARCC pay per share?
Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $1.81 per share, with a current dividend yield of +9.4%. Payments are made Quarterly.
When is ARCC's next ex-dividend date?
ARCC's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. ARCC typically pays dividends Quarterly.
Is ARCC's dividend safe?
ARCC's dividend safety is rated "At Risk" based on an earnings payout ratio of +97.3% and FCF payout ratio of +122.1%. The dividend history does not yet show a prolonged growth streak.
How many years has ARCC increased its dividend?
ARCC has not maintained a consecutive growth streak recently. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +3.7%.
How often does ARCC pay dividends?
Ares Capital Corporation pays dividends Quarterly. The trailing 12-month total is $1.81 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 22+ years from 2004 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in ARCC grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in ARCC five years ago would be worth approximately $14,187 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is ARCC's yield on cost for long-term holders?
ARCC's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +11.6% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +9.4% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.