Ares Capital (HAM:9A2) Moat Score: 6/10 (As of Aug. 20, 2026)

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HAM:9A2 Ares Capital Corp HAM:9A2
57 GF Score
Price €16.77
GF Value €16.68
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 8 Warning Signs
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What is Ares Capital Moat Score?

Ares Capital HAM:9A2 +0.17% 57 Moat Score is 6 as of Aug. 20, 2026. GuruFocus rates HAM:9A2 with a GF Score™ of 57/100 and a GF Value™ of €16.68 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,689 Asset Management companies, Ares Capital ranks better than 99.47% on this metric.

Ares Capital has the Moat Score of 6, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide.

Ares Capital has Narrow Moat: Ares Capital Corp has a strong narrow moat, driven by its significant scale in the business development company sector and strong brand reputation. Its extensive network and expertise in credit allocation provide a competitive edge, though regulatory barriers and pricing power are moderate.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Ares Capital might have Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide.

Ares Capital  (HAM:9A2) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

Ares Capital Moat Score Related Terms

HAM:9A2 vs PS, IVZ, EQH: Moat Score Comparison

For the Asset Management subindustry, Ares Capital's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Ares Capital Moat Score vs Asset Management Industry

For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Ares Capital's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Ares Capital's Moat Score falls into.


HAM:9A2
57GF Score
Ares Capital Corp HAM:9A2
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 6 mean?
Ares Capital (HAM:9A2) has a Moat Score of 6 as of Aug. 20, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, Ares Capital ranks #9 out of 1689 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 0.5%.
Is Ares Capital's Moat Score too high?
Ares Capital's current Moat Score is 6. Based on the distribution chart, Ares Capital ranks #9 out of 1689 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Ares Capital has a GF Score™ of 57/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ares Capital's Moat Score compare to PS and IVZ?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Ares Capital ranks #9 out of 1689 companies for Moat Score. This places Ares Capital in the top 1% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for an Asset Management company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Asset Management industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. Ares Capital's current Moat Score is 6. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ares Capital stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ares Capital (HAM:9A2) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €16.68, compared to a current price of €16.77 — trading 0.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 6. Ares Capital's overall GF Score™ is 57/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ares Capital (HAM:9A2), the current Moat Score is 6 as of Aug. 20, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Ares Capital (HAM:9A2) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ares Capital stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €16.77 is trading 0.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of €16.68. GuruFocus considers Ares Capital to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for HAM:9A2:

  • Moat Score: 6
  • GF Value™: €16.68 vs. price of €16.77 (0.6% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 57/100 with 8 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the HAM:9A2 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Ares Capital Business Description

Other Exchanges ARCC:USA0HHP:UK9A2:Germany
Address 245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY, USA, 10167
Ares Capital Corp is a United States-based closed-ended specialty finance company. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company focuses on investing in first lien senior secured loans (including unitranche loans, which are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt, generally in a first lien position) and second lien senior secured loans. In addition to senior secured loans, the company also invests in subordinated loans and preferred equity, it also makes common equity investments.
57GF Score

Get the complete analysis for HAM:9A2

Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€16.77
Price
€16.68
GF Value