ARES vs EQR Comparison

Ares Management is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $595.7 billion in total assets under management, or AUM, including $367.6 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of September 2025. The company has four main business segments: private credit ($391.5 billion in total AUM and $240.2 billion in fee-earning AUM), private equity, ($25.1 billion/$11.8 billion), real estate/real assets ($132.4 billion/$80.5 billion), and other alternatives ($46.7 billion/$35.1 billion). The firm primarily serves institutional investors (80% of AUM) and high-net-worth individuals (20%). Ares operates through more than 35 offices in over 15 countries around the globe.

Equity Residential owns a portfolio of 312 apartment communities with over 84,000 units and is developing two additional properties with 655 units. The company focuses on owning large, high-quality properties in the urban and suburban submarkets of Southern California, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York, Seattle, and Boston.