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) August 2, 2021

ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Maryland	814-00663	33-1089684
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

245 Park Avenue, 44th Floor, New York, NY	10167
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

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

(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):

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

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

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

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

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock, $0.001 par value	ARCC	NASDAQ Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ¨

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

Item 8.01. Other Events.

On August 2, 2021, Ares Capital Corporation (the “Company”) issued 12,500,000 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share, pursuant to a Purchase Agreement, dated July 28, 2021 (the “Purchase Agreement”), among the Company, Ares Capital Management LLC, Ares Operations LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named on Schedule A thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”). In addition, under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, the Company granted the Underwriters an option to purchase an additional 1,875,000 shares of Common Stock, exercisable for 30 days from the date of the Purchase Agreement.

The Shares were purchased by the Underwriters from the Company at a price of $19.6667 per share, resulting in net proceeds to the Company of approximately $245.4 million, after deducting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.

The Shares were offered and sold pursuant to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-256733) and a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, dated July 28, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The foregoing description of the Purchase Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Purchase Agreement, filed as Exhibit 1.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

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Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits:

Exhibit Number	Description
1.1	Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2021, among Ares Capital Corporation, Ares Capital Management LLC, Ares Operations LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, BofA Securities, Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named on Schedule A thereto
5.1	Opinion of Venable LLP
23.1	Consent of Venable LLP (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 hereto)

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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: August 2, 2021
	By:	/s/ Penni F. Roll
	Name:	Penni F. Roll
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer