USAC vs. ARCC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

USAC (USA Compression Partners, LP) and ARCC (Ares Capital Corporation) are both stocks. USAC operates in Oil & Gas Equipment & Services (Energy), while ARCC operates in Asset Management (Financial Services). Over the past 10 years, USAC returned 19.04%/yr vs 12.56%/yr for ARCC. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

USAC vs. ARCC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in USA Compression Partners, LP (USAC) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, USAC achieves a 26.30% return, which is significantly higher than ARCC's -5.14% return. Over the past 10 years, USAC has outperformed ARCC with an annualized return of 19.04%, while ARCC has yielded a comparatively lower 12.56% annualized return.

USAC

• 1D: -2.04%
• 1M: 3.53%
• YTD: 26.30%
• 6M: 17.13%
• 1Y: 15.45%
• 3Y*: 22.95%
• 5Y*: 23.88%
• 10Y*: 19.04%

ARCC

• 1D: -1.53%
• 1M: -2.61%
• YTD: -5.14%
• 6M: -5.66%
• 1Y: -6.58%
• 3Y*: 9.07%
• 5Y*: 8.64%
• 10Y*: 12.56%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

USAC vs. ARCC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
USAC USA Compression Partners, LP	26.30%	6.38%	12.67%	28.80%	25.91%	45.90%	-10.09%	57.91%	-11.29%	8.05%
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	-5.14%	1.07%	19.78%	20.03%	-3.84%	36.14%	0.86%	31.30%	8.81%	4.50%

Correlation

The correlation between USAC and ARCC is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.14
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.22
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.31
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 16, 2013	0.30

The correlation between USAC and ARCC shifts across timeframes, from 0.14 (1 year) to 0.31 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap USAC : $3.99B ARCC : $13.41B
EPS USAC : $1.01 ARCC : $1.63
PE Ratio USAC : 27.54 ARCC : 11.46
PEG Ratio USAC : 0.44 ARCC : 1.72
PS Ratio USAC : 3.28 ARCC : 5.01
Total Revenue (TTM) USAC : $1.08B ARCC : $2.63B
Gross Profit (TTM) USAC : $433.32M ARCC : $1.86B
EBITDA (TTM) USAC : $537.51M ARCC : $2.05B

Return for Risk

USAC vs. ARCC — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

USAC

USAC Risk / Return Rank: 60
USAC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
USAC Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
USAC Omega Ratio Rank: 52
USAC Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
USAC Martin Ratio Rank: 65

ARCC

ARCC Risk / Return Rank: 25
ARCC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
ARCC Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
ARCC Omega Ratio Rank: 22
ARCC Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
ARCC Martin Ratio Rank: 29

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

USAC vs. ARCC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for USA Compression Partners, LP (USAC) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). 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.

	USAC	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.63	-0.36	+0.99
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.06	-0.38	+1.44
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	0.95	+0.17
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.35	-0.34	+1.69
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.87	-0.63	+3.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

USAC vs. ARCC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current USAC Sharpe Ratio is 0.63, which is higher than the ARCC Sharpe Ratio of -0.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of USAC and ARCC, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	USAC	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.63	-0.36	+0.99
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85	0.43	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45	0.49	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.37	0.37	-0.01

Drawdowns

USAC vs. ARCC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum USAC drawdown since its inception was -78.96%, roughly equal to the maximum ARCC drawdown of -79.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USAC and ARCC.

Drawdown Indicators

	USAC	ARCC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-78.96%	-79.36%	+0.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.47%	-19.35%	+7.88%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.35%	-19.35%	-5.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.39%	-21.76%	-2.63%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-78.96%	-56.77%	-22.19%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.92%	-13.66%	+5.74%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.72%	-9.10%	-3.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.07%	10.48%	-4.41%

Volatility

USAC vs. ARCC - Volatility Comparison

USA Compression Partners, LP (USAC) has a higher volatility of 10.67% compared to Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) at 3.94%. This indicates that USAC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ARCC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	USAC	ARCC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.67%	3.94%	+6.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.72%	14.71%	+3.01%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.02%	18.40%	+6.62%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.30%	19.96%	+8.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	42.78%	25.58%	+17.20%

Dividends

USAC vs. ARCC - Dividend Comparison

USAC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.53%, less than ARCC's 10.28% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	10.28%	9.49%	8.77%	9.59%	10.12%	7.65%	9.47%	9.01%	9.88%	9.67%	9.22%	11.02%
USAC USA Compression Partners, LP	7.53%	9.13%	8.91%	9.20%	10.75%	12.03%	15.44%	11.58%	16.18%	12.70%	12.14%	18.06%

Financials

USAC vs. ARCC - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between USA Compression Partners, LP and Ares Capital Corporation over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

USAC - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, USA Compression Partners, LP reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 331.28M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.

ARCC - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ares Capital Corporation reported a gross profit of 550.00M and revenue of 763.00M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 72.1%.

USAC - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, USA Compression Partners, LP reported an operating income of 91.41M and revenue of 331.28M, resulting in an operating margin of 27.6%.

ARCC - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ares Capital Corporation reported an operating income of 404.00M and revenue of 763.00M, resulting in an operating margin of 53.0%.

USAC - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, USA Compression Partners, LP reported a net income of 38.34M and revenue of 331.28M, resulting in a net margin of 11.6%.

ARCC - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ares Capital Corporation reported a net income of 92.00M and revenue of 763.00M, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both USAC and ARCC in my portfolio?

USAC and ARCC have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, USAC or ARCC?

USAC has higher volatility (10.67%) compared to ARCC (3.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USAC dropped -78.96% vs ARCC's -79.36%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

USAC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.63 vs -0.36), 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.