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ARES vs KKR
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Ares Management (ARES) vs. KKR & Co. (KKR) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both ARES and KKR are leading alternative asset managers that have faced notable share-price pressure in 2026 amid higher interest rates and private-credit concerns.
- KKR operates a broader, more diversified platform across private equity, credit, real estate, and infrastructure, while ARES is anchored in credit and direct lending.
- KKR reported record fee-related earnings and strong fundraising in its latest quarter, while ARES offers a comparatively higher dividend yield.
- Both stocks trade well below their 52-week highs, reflecting a sector-wide sentiment reset rather than company-specific weakness alone.
- Relative performance and market positioning currently favor KKR on momentum and scale, though ARES shows higher income appeal.
Introduction
Investors comparing ARES and KKR are essentially weighing two distinct approaches to alternative asset management. Ares Management Corporation is a Los Angeles-based firm known for its leadership in credit and direct lending, while KKR & Co. Inc. is a New York-based global investment firm spanning private equity, credit, real assets, and infrastructure. Both generate fees from assets under management (AUM), yet their growth drivers and risk profiles differ meaningfully. This comparison is relevant for traders and long-term investors seeking exposure to private markets, as the two names offer contrasting balances of scale, income, and momentum in a challenging macro environment.
ARES Overview and Recent Performance
ARES (Ares Management Corporation) is a global alternative asset manager operating across four segments: Credit Group, Private Equity Group, Real Assets Group, and Secondaries Group. Founded in 1997, the firm has built particular strength in credit, including direct lending and liquid and illiquid strategies. In recent weeks, ARES shares have traded with elevated volatility, retreating from earlier 2026 levels. The stock sits well below its 52-week high and has posted a double-digit year-to-date decline, consistent with broader weakness across alternative asset managers. Sentiment has been shaped by persistent concerns over private credit quality, the pace of monetizations, and a higher-rate backdrop. On the income side, ARES carries a comparatively higher dividend yield, which has helped attract income-focused investors even as growth-oriented buyers have stepped back.
KKR Overview and Recent Performance
KKR (KKR & Co. Inc.) is a diversified global investment firm spanning private equity, credit, real estate, infrastructure, and hedge fund strategies. In its most recent quarter, the firm reported AUM up 16% year over year to roughly $796 billion, with fee-related earnings rising 37% and substantial new capital raised. Recent activity has been active, including the announced sale of USI Insurance Services to Aon for approximately $17 billion and participation in a landmark Kuwait energy-infrastructure joint venture. Despite this deal momentum, KKR shares have also declined meaningfully from their 52-week high and remain down on a year-to-date basis. Analysts have generally maintained a constructive stance on KKR, citing the strength of its diversified fee-based model and its expanding infrastructure and private-wealth businesses.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
The clearest contrast between the two firms is strategic focus. ARES is weighted toward credit and direct lending, giving it concentrated exposure to lending spreads and borrower fundamentals. KKR is more diversified, with sizable private equity and infrastructure franchises that generate both management fees and performance-linked carried interest. This difference influences risk profiles: ARES is more sensitive to credit conditions, while KKR is more exposed to the timing of monetizations and carried interest. On scale, KKR manages a substantially larger AUM base. On valuation and income, ARES trades at a higher earnings multiple but offers a more generous dividend yield. Recent momentum has been similarly negative for both names, underscoring that sector-wide sentiment, rather than company fundamentals, has been the dominant driver in recent weeks.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, stability, and relative positioning, Tickeron's AI would likely lean toward KKR at this juncture. The firm's larger, more diversified platform, record fee-related earnings, and steady stream of monetization and fundraising catalysts provide a broader base of support than ARES's more credit-concentrated model. That said, the margin is not decisive: both stocks remain in broader downtrends, and ARES's higher yield could make it more attractive if market conditions stabilize. The assessment is probabilistic and should be reviewed alongside each investor's own research and objectives.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is ARES is a Hold and KKR is a Hold.
ARES | KKR | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 8 | 54 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 11 Undervalued | 81 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 67 | 76 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 95 | 67 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 60 | 74 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 86 | 92 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 85 | 75 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ARES's Valuation (11) in the Investment Managers industry is significantly better than the same rating for KKR (81). This means that ARES’s stock grew significantly faster than KKR’s over the last 12 months.
ARES's Profit vs Risk Rating (67) in the Investment Managers industry is in the same range as KKR (76). This means that ARES’s stock grew similarly to KKR’s over the last 12 months.
KKR's SMR Rating (67) in the Investment Managers industry is in the same range as ARES (95). This means that KKR’s stock grew similarly to ARES’s over the last 12 months.
ARES's Price Growth Rating (60) in the Investment Managers industry is in the same range as KKR (74). This means that ARES’s stock grew similarly to KKR’s over the last 12 months.
ARES's P/E Growth Rating (86) in the Investment Managers industry is in the same range as KKR (92). This means that ARES’s stock grew similarly to KKR’s over the last 12 months.
| ARES | KKR | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 81% | 1 day ago 69% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 80% | 1 day ago 80% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 60% | 3 days ago 62% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 64% | 1 day ago 69% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 66% | 1 day ago 72% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 77% | 19 days ago 73% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 16 days ago 65% | 1 day ago 68% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 79% | 1 day ago 74% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 1 day ago 75% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ARES’s FA Score shows that 1 FA rating(s) are green while KKR’s FA Score has 0 green FA rating(s).
- ARES’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- KKR’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ARES’s TA Score shows that 5 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KKR’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ARES’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
- KKR’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
ARES (@Investment Managers) experienced а -0.27% price change this week, while KKR (@Investment Managers) price change was -1.84% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Investment Managers industry was -2.21%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +0.48%, and the average quarterly price growth was +5.71%.
Reported Earning Dates
ARES is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
KKR is expected to report earnings on Nov 09, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Investment Managers (-2.21% weekly)Investment Managers manage financial assets and other investments of clients. Management includes designing a short- or long-term strategy for buying/holding and selling of portfolio holdings. It can also include tax services and other aspects of financial planning as well. While it is perceived that the industry is faced with growing competition from robo-advisors/digital platforms and passive/ index-tracking funds, many investors still find value in actively managed in-person services that investment management companies often emphasize on. At the same time, many wealth managers are also incorporating digital initiatives/low cost options in addition to their in-person customized services. Their main sources of revenues are fees as a percentage of assets under management, in addition to a certain portion of clients’ gains from asset appreciation. BlackRock, Inc., Blackstone Group Inc and Brookfield Asset Management are some of the major investment management companies.
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ARES and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ARES has been closely correlated with KKR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 83% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if ARES jumps, then KKR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To ARES | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARES | 100% | +0.44% | ||
| KKR - ARES | 83% Closely correlated | -0.12% | ||
| BX - ARES | 80% Closely correlated | +0.76% | ||
| TPG - ARES | 79% Closely correlated | +1.64% | ||
| APO - ARES | 78% Closely correlated | -0.22% | ||
| OWL - ARES | 78% Closely correlated | +1.76% | ||
More | ||||
KKR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KKR has been closely correlated with BX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 83% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if KKR jumps, then BX could also see price increases.