ARCC vs. MOAT
ARCC (Ares Capital Corporation) is a stock, while MOAT (VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF) is Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index. Over the past 10 years, ARCC returned 13.20%/yr vs 13.47%/yr for MOAT. At a 0.50 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ARCC vs. MOAT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ARCC achieves a -2.20% return, which is significantly lower than MOAT's -0.66% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ARCC having a 13.20% annualized return and MOAT not far ahead at 13.47%.
ARCC
- 1D
- 1.00%
- 1M
- 1.90%
- YTD
- -2.20%
- 6M
- -2.87%
- 1Y
- -3.87%
- 3Y*
- 10.27%
- 5Y*
- 9.04%
- 10Y*
- 13.20%
MOAT
- 1D
- 0.41%
- 1M
- 3.19%
- YTD
- -0.66%
- 6M
- -1.22%
- 1Y
- 14.57%
- 3Y*
- 10.55%
- 5Y*
- 7.78%
- 10Y*
- 13.47%
ARCC vs. MOAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation | -2.20% | 1.07% | 19.78% | 20.03% | -3.84% | 36.14% | 0.86% | 31.30% | 8.81% | 4.50% |
MOAT VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF | -0.66% | 13.20% | 10.73% | 31.89% | -13.66% | 24.12% | 14.84% | 34.79% | -1.28% | 23.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between ARCC and MOAT is 0.48, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 25, 2012 | 0.50 |
The correlation between ARCC and MOAT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.48 to 0.54 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
ARCC vs. MOAT — Risk / Return Rank
ARCC
MOAT
ARCC vs. MOAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) and VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| ARCC | MOAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.18 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.64 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.97 | 1.16 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.26 | 1.02 | -1.28 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.47 | 3.11 | -3.58 |
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Drawdowns
ARCC vs. MOAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ARCC drawdown since its inception was -79.36%, which is greater than MOAT's maximum drawdown of -33.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARCC and MOAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ARCC | MOAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -79.36% | -33.31% | -46.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.35% | -12.43% | -6.92% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.35% | -21.44% | +2.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.76% | -23.96% | +2.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -56.77% | -33.31% | -23.46% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.98% | -4.45% | -6.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.10% | -3.83% | -5.27% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 10.68% | 4.06% | +6.62% |
Volatility
ARCC vs. MOAT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is 3.72%, while VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT) has a volatility of 4.13%. This indicates that ARCC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MOAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ARCC | MOAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.72% | 4.13% | -0.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.83% | 9.90% | +4.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.48% | 13.93% | +4.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.96% | 18.20% | +1.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.58% | 18.68% | +6.90% |
Dividends
ARCC vs. MOAT - Dividend Comparison
ARCC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.97%, more than MOAT's 1.36% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation | 7.48% | 9.49% | 8.77% | 9.59% | 10.12% | 7.65% | 9.47% | 9.01% | 9.88% | 9.67% | 9.22% | 11.02% |
MOAT VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF | 1.36% | 1.36% | 1.37% | 0.86% | 1.25% | 1.08% | 1.46% | 1.31% | 1.79% | 1.07% | 1.17% | 2.13% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ARCC and MOAT have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MOAT has higher volatility (4.13%) compared to ARCC (3.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ARCC dropped -79.36% vs MOAT's -33.31%.
MOAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.91 vs -0.27), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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