WU vs. ARCC

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

WU (The Western Union Company) and ARCC (Ares Capital Corporation) are both stocks. Both are in the Financial Services sector — WU in Credit Services, ARCC in Asset Management. Over the past 10 years, WU returned -3.28%/yr vs 12.56%/yr for ARCC. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

WU vs. ARCC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in The Western Union Company (WU) 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, WU achieves a -12.99% return, which is significantly lower than ARCC's -5.14% return. Over the past 10 years, WU has underperformed ARCC with an annualized return of -3.28%, while ARCC has yielded a comparatively higher 12.56% annualized return.

WU

• 1D: -0.88%
• 1M: -13.94%
• YTD: -12.99%
• 6M: -8.23%
• 1Y: -6.66%
• 3Y*: -4.46%
• 5Y*: -14.29%
• 10Y*: -3.28%

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)

WU vs. ARCC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WU The Western Union Company	-12.99%	-2.63%	-3.79%	-6.19%	-17.92%	-15.11%	-14.72%	62.85%	-6.73%	-9.27%
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 WU and ARCC is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.27
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.33
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2006	0.39

The correlation between WU and ARCC shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (1 year) to 0.39 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap WU : $2.50B ARCC : $13.41B
EPS WU : $1.36 ARCC : $1.63
PE Ratio WU : 5.81 ARCC : 11.46
PEG Ratio WU : 2.59 ARCC : 1.72
PS Ratio WU : 0.63 ARCC : 5.01
PB Ratio WU : 2.75 ARCC : 0.95
Total Revenue (TTM) WU : $4.05B ARCC : $2.63B
Gross Profit (TTM) WU : $1.38B ARCC : $1.86B
EBITDA (TTM) WU : $832.80M ARCC : $2.05B

Return for Risk

WU vs. ARCC — Risk / Return Rank

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

WU

WU Risk / Return Rank: 28
WU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
WU Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
WU Omega Ratio Rank: 27
WU Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
WU Martin Ratio Rank: 26

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.

WU vs. ARCC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Western Union Company (WU) 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.

	WU	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.22	-0.36	+0.14
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.12	-0.38	+0.26
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.99	0.95	+0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.32	-0.34	+0.03
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.77	-0.63	-0.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WU vs. ARCC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WU Sharpe Ratio is -0.22, which is higher than the ARCC Sharpe Ratio of -0.36. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WU 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

	WU	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.22	-0.36	+0.14
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.50	0.43	-0.94
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.12	0.49	-0.61
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.03	0.37	-0.40

Drawdowns

WU vs. ARCC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WU drawdown since its inception was -63.10%, smaller than the maximum ARCC drawdown of -79.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WU and ARCC.

Drawdown Indicators

	WU	ARCC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.10%	-79.36%	+16.26%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-21.20%	-19.35%	-1.85%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-36.69%	-19.35%	-17.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-57.35%	-21.76%	-35.59%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-60.15%	-56.77%	-3.38%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-57.01%	-13.66%	-43.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-28.71%	-9.10%	-19.61%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.72%	10.48%	-1.76%

Volatility

WU vs. ARCC - Volatility Comparison

The Western Union Company (WU) has a higher volatility of 6.81% compared to Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) at 3.94%. This indicates that WU'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

	WU	ARCC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.81%	3.94%	+2.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.06%	14.71%	+5.35%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.39%	18.40%	+11.99%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.62%	19.96%	+8.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.40%	25.58%	+1.82%

Dividends

WU vs. ARCC - Dividend Comparison

WU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.90%, more 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%
WU The Western Union Company	11.90%	10.10%	8.87%	7.89%	6.83%	5.27%	4.10%	2.99%	4.45%	3.68%	2.95%	3.46%

Financials

WU vs. ARCC - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between The Western Union Company and Ares Capital Corporation over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

WU - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported a gross profit of 327.80M and revenue of 982.70M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 33.4%.

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%.

WU - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported an operating income of 123.00M and revenue of 982.70M, resulting in an operating margin of 12.5%.

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%.

WU - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, The Western Union Company reported a net income of 64.70M and revenue of 982.70M, resulting in a net margin of 6.6%.

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 WU and ARCC in my portfolio?

WU and ARCC have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, WU or ARCC?

WU has higher volatility (6.81%) compared to ARCC (3.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WU dropped -63.10% vs ARCC's -79.36%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

WU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.22 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.