Ares Management Corporation (ARES) vs MSCI Inc. (MSCI)
ARES leads on 8 of 13 compared metrics, though MSCI is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Ares Management Corporation and MSCI Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 16, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ARES
Ares Management Corporation
$135.36Financial Services
MSCI
MSCI Inc.
$611.17Financial Services
Total return — ARES vs MSCI
growth of $100 · last 12yARES +627.7%MSCI +1382.0%MSCI compounded faster
ARES MSCI
ARES vs MSCI: by the numbers
- •MSCI is the larger company ($44.49B vs $44.45B market cap).
- •MSCI trades at the lower earnings multiple (35.19 vs 56.87 P/E).
- •MSCI converts more revenue to profit (40.74% vs 9.87% net margin).
- •ARES grew revenue faster over the past five years (27.56% vs 13.02% CAGR).
- •ARES pays the higher dividend yield (3.65% vs 1.26%).
Which is better, ARES or MSCI?
Metric tally: ARES 8 · MSCI 5It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueMSCI(lower P/E)
GrowthARES(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeARES(higher dividend yield)
QualityMSCI(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ARES | MSCI |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 56.87 | 35.19● |
| Forward P/E | 22.54● | 27.15 |
| P/S ratio | 4.81● | 13.85 |
| P/B ratio | 7.53 | — |
| PEG ratio | 3.32● | 3.48 |
Profitability
| Metric | ARES | MSCI |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 70.73% | 82.86%● |
| Operating margin | 22.90% | 55.36%● |
| Net margin | 9.87% | 40.74%● |
| ROE | 15.47%● | -45.29% |
| ROIC | 5.14% | 35.34%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ARES | MSCI |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 3.65%● | 1.26% |
| Payout ratio | 252.04% | 49.42% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ARES | MSCI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 27.56%● | 13.02% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 17.11%● | 16.73% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 21.95%● | 5.47% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ARES or MSCI?
- It depends on your goal. value: MSCI (lower P/E); growth: ARES (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: ARES (higher dividend yield); quality: MSCI (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ARES leads 8 to 5.
- Is ARES or MSCI cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, MSCI is cheaper: ARES trades at a 56.87 P/E and MSCI at 35.19.
- Which has grown faster, ARES or MSCI?
- Over the past five years, ARES grew revenue faster — ARES at a 27.56% CAGR versus MSCI at 13.02%.
- Does ARES or MSCI pay a bigger dividend?
- ARES yields 3.65% and MSCI yields 1.26% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ARES or MSCI more profitable?
- MSCI runs the higher net margin — ARES at 9.87% versus MSCI at 40.74%.
- Which has been the better investment, ARES or MSCI?
- Over the past 10-year, ARES delivered the higher annualized total return — ARES at 31.04% versus MSCI at 24.83%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Ares Management P/E ratioMSCI P/E ratioAres Management dividend yieldMSCI dividend yieldAres Management ROEMSCI ROEAres Management operating marginMSCI operating marginAres Management revenue growthMSCI revenue growthAres Management free cash flowMSCI free cash flow
Ares Management & MSCI 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 June 16, 2026.