Ares Management Corporation (ARES) vs Discover Financial Services (DFS)
A side-by-side comparison of Ares Management Corporation and Discover Financial Services across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of July 31, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
ARES
Ares Management Corporation
$128.09Financial ServicesDelayed quote: Jul 31, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
DFS
Discover Financial Services
$200.05Financial ServicesAt close: May 16, 2025, 4:00 PM ET
Total return — ARES vs DFS
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 11yARES +1355.0%DFS +354.4%ARES compounded faster
ARES DFS
ARES vs DFS: by the numbers
- •DFS is the larger company ($50.34B vs $42.07B market cap).
- •DFS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (10.67 vs 52.15 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •DFS converts more revenue to profit (21.65% vs 9.87% net margin).
- •ARES grew revenue faster over the past five years (27.56% vs 13.84% CAGR).
- •ARES pays the higher dividend yield (3.98% vs 1.40%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ARES | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 52.15 | 10.67 |
| Forward P/E | 21.00 | 12.59 |
| P/S ratio | 4.41 | 2.28 |
| P/B ratio | 6.91 | 2.66 |
| PEG ratio | 3.05 | 0.15 |
Profitability
| Metric | ARES | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 70.73% | 89.46% |
| Operating margin | 22.90% | 88.29% |
| Net margin | 9.87% | 21.65% |
| ROE | 15.47% | 25.29% |
| ROIC | 5.14% | 32.48% |
Dividends
| Metric | ARES | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.98% | 1.40% |
| Payout ratio | 252.04% | 15.81% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ARES | DFS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 27.56% | 13.84% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 17.11% | 14.26% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 15.68% | 42.63% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, ARES or DFS?
- DFS has the lower trailing P/E: ARES trades at 52.15 and DFS at 10.67. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
- Which has grown faster, ARES or DFS?
- Over the past five years, ARES grew revenue faster — ARES at a 27.56% CAGR versus DFS at 13.84%.
- Does ARES or DFS pay a bigger dividend?
- ARES yields 3.98% and DFS yields 1.40% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ARES or DFS more profitable?
- DFS runs the higher net margin — ARES at 9.87% versus DFS at 21.65%.
- How have ARES and DFS total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, ARES delivered 27.20% and DFS delivered 15.34% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Ares Management P/E ratioDiscover Financial Services P/E ratioAres Management dividend yieldDiscover Financial Services dividend yieldAres Management ROEDiscover Financial Services ROEAres Management operating marginDiscover Financial Services operating marginAres Management revenue growthDiscover Financial Services revenue growthAres Management free cash flowDiscover Financial Services free cash flow
Ares Management & Discover Financial Services appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified July 31, 2026.