ARES vs NRG Comparison

Ares Management is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $671.3 billion in total assets under management, including $409.9 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of June 2026. The company has four main business segments: credit strategies ($440.5 billion in total AUM and $266.1 billion in fee-earning AUM), private equity ($24.5 billion/$13.9 billion), real estate/real assets ($151.2 billion/$88.6 billion), and other alternatives ($55.1 billion/$41.3 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.

NRG Energy is one of the largest retail energy providers in the US, with 6 million customers. Vivint Smart Home, which NRG acquired in 2023, has 2 million home-services customers. NRG also is one of the largest US independent power producers, with 26 gigawatts of coal, gas, and oil power generation capacity in Texas and the Eastern US. NRG exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in December 2003.