8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported) February 1, 2010

ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland	000-50697	33-1089684
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

280 Park Avenue, 22nd Floor, Building East, New York, NY	10017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (212) 750-7300

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01  Regulation FD Disclosure.

On February 1, 2010, the registrant issued a press release, included herewith as Exhibit 99.1, and by this reference incorporated herein.

The information disclosed under this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)          Exhibits:

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated as of February 1, 2010

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Date:   February 1, 2010
	By:	/s/ Richard S. Davis
	Name:	Richard S. Davis
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

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Exhibit Index

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated as of February 1, 2010

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION CLOSES

PUBLIC OFFERING OF COMMON STOCK

NEW YORK, NY—February 1, 2010—Ares Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: ARCC) announced today that it has closed an underwritten public offering of 21,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock at a price per share of $12.75 to the public, raising approximately $253.8 million in net proceeds after deducting underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses.

BofA Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as senior bookrunners for this offering.  Additional bookrunners include:  BB&T Capital Markets, BMO Capital Markets, Deutsche Bank Securities, Morgan Stanley and UBS Investment Bank.

Ares Capital expects to use the net proceeds to repay outstanding indebtedness and for general corporate purposes, including to fund investments in its investment backlog and pipeline that, as of January 21, 2010, were approximately $137.7 million and $214.9 million, respectively.  Please note that the consummation of any of the investments in this backlog and pipeline depends upon, among other things: satisfactory completion of Ares Capital’s due diligence investigation of the prospective portfolio company, Ares Capital’s acceptance of the terms and structure of such investment and the execution and delivery of satisfactory transaction documentation.

ABOUT ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION

Ares Capital Corporation is a specialty finance company that provides integrated debt and equity financing solutions to U.S. middle-market companies.  Ares Capital invests primarily in first- and second-lien loans and mezzanine debt, which in some cases includes an equity component.  To a lesser extent, Ares Capital also makes equity investments. Ares Capital is externally managed by Ares Capital Management LLC, an affiliate of Ares Management LLC, an SEC registered investment advisor and alternative asset investment management firm with approximately $33.0 billion of committed capital under management as of December 31, 2009.  Ares Capital is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a Business Development Company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements included herein may constitute “forward-looking statements,” which relate to future events or our future performance or financial condition.  These statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.  Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the prospectus supplement dated January

26, 2010 and the accompanying  prospectus dated January 26, 2010.  Ares Capital undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made herein.

CONTACT

Carl Drake

Ares Capital Corporation

404-814-5204