Ares Management Corporation (ARES) vs Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU)

ARES leads on 8 of 14 compared metrics, though PRU is the cheaper stock.

A side-by-side comparison of Ares Management Corporation and Prudential Financial, 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).

Compare

Total return — ARES vs PRU

growth of $100 · last 12y
ARES +627.7%PRU +32.9%ARES compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
101001k10kStart $100201620182020202220242026$728$133
ARES PRU

ARES vs PRU: by the numbers

  • ARES is the larger company ($44.45B vs $37.87B market cap).
  • PRU trades at the lower earnings multiple (11.08 vs 56.87 P/E).
  • ARES converts more revenue to profit (9.87% vs 5.51% net margin).
  • ARES grew revenue faster over the past five years (27.56% vs 0.80% CAGR).
  • PRU pays the higher dividend yield (5.07% vs 3.65%).

Which is better, ARES or PRU?

Metric tally: ARES 8 · PRU 6

It depends on what you're optimizing for:

ValuePRU(lower P/E)
GrowthARES(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomePRU(higher dividend yield)
QualityARES(higher ROIC)

Metrics side by side

Valuation

MetricARESPRU
P/E ratio56.8711.08
Forward P/E22.547.90
P/S ratio4.810.60
P/B ratio7.531.19
PEG ratio3.320.32

Profitability

MetricARESPRU
Gross margin70.73%32.90%
Operating margin22.90%7.10%
Net margin9.87%5.51%
ROE15.47%10.84%
ROIC5.14%0.68%

Dividends

MetricARESPRU
Dividend yield3.65%5.07%
Payout ratio252.04%54.13%

Growth (annualized)

MetricARESPRU
Revenue CAGR (5Y)27.56%0.80%
EPS CAGR (5Y)17.11%-0.11%
Total return CAGR (5Y)21.95%5.80%

Frequently asked

Which is better, ARES or PRU?
It depends on your goal. value: PRU (lower P/E); growth: ARES (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: PRU (higher dividend yield); quality: ARES (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ARES leads 8 to 6.
Is ARES or PRU cheaper?
On trailing earnings, PRU is cheaper: ARES trades at a 56.87 P/E and PRU at 11.08.
Which has grown faster, ARES or PRU?
Over the past five years, ARES grew revenue faster — ARES at a 27.56% CAGR versus PRU at 0.80%.
Does ARES or PRU pay a bigger dividend?
ARES yields 3.65% and PRU yields 5.07% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is ARES or PRU more profitable?
ARES runs the higher net margin — ARES at 9.87% versus PRU at 5.51%.
Which has been the better investment, ARES or PRU?
Over the past 10-year, ARES delivered the higher annualized total return — ARES at 31.04% versus PRU at 9.11%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

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.