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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ares Management Corp (ARES) and SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO (SMG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ares Management Corp is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($1.5B vs $1.5B, roughly 1.0× SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO). SCOTTS MIRACLE-GRO CO runs the higher net margin — 16.3% vs 3.6%, a 12.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ares Management Corp posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (19.5% vs -16.9%). Over the past eight quarters, Ares Management Corp's revenue compounded faster (45.9% CAGR vs 10.2%).

Ares Management Corporation is a global alternative investment manager operating in the credit, private equity and real estate markets. The company was founded in 1997, with additional offices across North America, Europe, and Asia.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Marysville, Ohio, where O.M. Scott began selling lawn seed in 1868. The company manufactures and sells consumer lawn, garden and pest control products, as well as soilless indoor gardening equipment. In the U.S., the company manufactures Scotts, Miracle-Gro and Ortho brands. It also markets and distributes the herbicide Roundup in the U.S. and several international markets including China.

ARES vs SMG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ARES
ARES
1.0× larger
ARES
$1.5B
$1.5B
SMG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ARES
ARES
+36.4% gap
ARES
19.5%
-16.9%
SMG
Higher net margin
SMG
SMG
12.7% more per $
SMG
16.3%
3.6%
ARES
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ARES
ARES
Annualised
ARES
45.9%
10.2%
SMG

Income Statement — Q4 FY2025 vs Q2 FY2026

Metric
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Revenue
$1.5B
$1.5B
Net Profit
$54.2M
$238.6M
Gross Margin
41.8%
Operating Margin
13.7%
27.5%
Net Margin
3.6%
16.3%
Revenue YoY
19.5%
-16.9%
Net Profit YoY
-69.4%
61.2%
EPS (diluted)
$-2.00

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$1.5B
Q4 25
$1.5B
$354.4M
Q3 25
$1.7B
$387.3M
Q2 25
$1.4B
$1.2B
Q1 25
$1.1B
$1.4B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$416.8M
Q3 24
$1.1B
$414.7M
Q2 24
$788.7M
$1.2B
Net Profit
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$238.6M
Q4 25
$54.2M
$-125.0M
Q3 25
$288.9M
Q2 25
$137.1M
$149.1M
Q1 25
$47.2M
$217.5M
Q4 24
$177.3M
$-69.5M
Q3 24
$118.5M
Q2 24
$94.9M
$132.1M
Gross Margin
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
41.8%
Q4 25
25.0%
Q3 25
6.1%
Q2 25
31.8%
Q1 25
38.6%
Q4 24
22.7%
Q3 24
-7.1%
Q2 24
29.5%
Operating Margin
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
27.5%
Q4 25
13.7%
-6.2%
Q3 25
39.3%
-38.8%
Q2 25
21.3%
18.1%
Q1 25
13.0%
24.3%
Q4 24
31.8%
-12.2%
Q3 24
29.0%
-52.1%
Q2 24
40.2%
16.6%
Net Margin
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
16.3%
Q4 25
3.6%
-35.3%
Q3 25
17.4%
Q2 25
10.2%
12.6%
Q1 25
4.3%
15.3%
Q4 24
14.1%
-16.7%
Q3 24
10.5%
Q2 24
12.0%
11.0%
EPS (diluted)
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$-2.00
Q4 25
$-2.16
Q3 25
$-2.58
Q2 25
$2.54
Q1 25
$3.72
Q4 24
$-1.21
Q3 24
$-4.21
Q2 24
$2.28

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$6.2M
Total DebtLower is stronger
$2.3B
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$4.3B
Total Assets
$28.6B
$3.4B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$6.2M
Q4 25
$8.3M
Q3 25
$36.6M
Q2 25
$51.1M
Q1 25
$16.9M
Q4 24
$9.8M
Q3 24
$71.6M
Q2 24
$279.9M
Total Debt
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$2.3B
Q4 25
Q3 25
$2.1B
Q2 25
Q1 25
Q4 24
Q3 24
$2.2B
Q2 24
Stockholders' Equity
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$4.3B
$-500.6M
Q3 25
$4.5B
$-357.5M
Q2 25
$4.4B
$-170.9M
Q1 25
$4.5B
$-290.1M
Q4 24
$3.5B
$-479.5M
Q3 24
$2.1B
$-390.6M
Q2 24
$2.0B
$-146.2M
Total Assets
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
$3.4B
Q4 25
$28.6B
$3.0B
Q3 25
$27.0B
$2.7B
Q2 25
$27.3B
$3.1B
Q1 25
$27.2B
$3.5B
Q4 24
$24.9B
$3.2B
Q3 24
$24.5B
$2.9B
Q2 24
$24.2B
$3.5B

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$-483.7M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
-8.92×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-483.7M
$-370.4M
Q3 25
$1.3B
$174.1M
Q2 25
$415.7M
$454.4M
Q1 25
$2.0B
$188.1M
Q4 24
$807.6M
$-445.3M
Q3 24
$841.3M
$118.5M
Q2 24
$432.2M
$588.0M
Free Cash Flow
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
$-390.4M
Q3 25
$131.2M
Q2 25
$437.5M
Q1 25
$179.8M
Q4 24
$-474.6M
Q3 24
$101.9M
Q2 24
$574.8M
FCF Margin
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
-110.2%
Q3 25
33.9%
Q2 25
36.8%
Q1 25
12.7%
Q4 24
-113.9%
Q3 24
24.6%
Q2 24
47.8%
Capex Intensity
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
5.6%
Q3 25
11.1%
Q2 25
1.4%
Q1 25
0.6%
Q4 24
7.0%
Q3 24
4.0%
Q2 24
1.1%
Cash Conversion
ARES
ARES
SMG
SMG
Q1 26
Q4 25
-8.92×
Q3 25
4.64×
Q2 25
3.03×
3.05×
Q1 25
42.28×
0.86×
Q4 24
4.55×
Q3 24
7.10×
Q2 24
4.55×
4.45×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ARES
ARES

Management Service$991.1M66%
Management Service Incentive$206.7M14%
Carried Interest$205.4M14%
Fee Related Performance Revenues$113.3M8%

SMG
SMG

Segment breakdown not available.

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