How does ARCC's Q1 forecast compare to past performance?

Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) is expected to report strong Q1 2024 earnings, with estimated EPS of $0.60 and revenue of $703.85 million, reflecting year-over-year increases of 5.3% and 13.9%, respectively. This outlook is based on the company's continued benefit from the higher-for-longer rate environment and its diversified portfolio. **Comparison to Past Performance**: 1. **EPS Comparison**: The Q1 2024 EPS estimate of $0.60 is slightly below the last reported EPS of $2.44. This indicates a more conservative expectation for the upcoming quarter. |code|Ticker|Name|Date|Total Revenue YoY|Diluted EPS YoY|market_code| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |ARCC|ARCC.O|Ares Capital|2024 Q1|13.430420711974108|49.01960784313725|185| |ARCC|ARCC.O|Ares Capital|2024 Q2|19.085173501577287|-11.864406779661008|185| |ARCC|ARCC.O|Ares Capital|2024 Q3|18.3206106870229|-28.735632183908045|185| |ARCC|ARCC.O|Ares Capital|2024 Q4|7.355021216407355||185| 2. **Revenue Comparison**: The Q1 2024 revenue estimate of $703.85 million is significantly higher than the last reported revenue of $2.99 billion. This suggests a more optimistic outlook for the company's top line. 3. **Analyst Expectations**: Analysts have shown optimism, with several revisions upward in EPS and revenue estimates in the last 3 months. This reflects growing confidence in ARCC's performance for the period. In conclusion, while ARCC's Q1 2024 estimates are below its recent past performance, the trend of increasing revenue and the optimistic analyst revisions suggest a positive outlook for the company's future earnings.