SC 13G 1 arescapitalcorp13g.txt ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION 13G AS OF 12/31/07 -------------------------- OMB APPROVAL -------------------------- OMB Number: 3235-0145 UNITED STATES Expires: February 28, 2009 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Estimated average burden Washington, D.C. 20549 hours per response... 10.4 -------------------------- SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.) ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 04010L103 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) December 31, 2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [X ] Rule 13d-1(b) [ ] Rule 13d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13d-1(d) * The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). CUSIP No. 04010L103 13G _____________________________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. (MERRILL LYNCH) _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_] (b) [ ] _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. SEC USE ONLY _____________________________________________________________________________ 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware _____________________________________________________________________________ NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES Disclaimed (See #9 below) _________________________________________________________________ BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY Disclaimed (See #9 below) _________________________________________________________________ EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING Disclaimed (See #9 below) ______________________________________________________________ PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH Disclaimed (See #9 below) _____________________________________________________________________________ 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. disclaims beneficial ownership in all shares of Ares Capital Corporation held by Merrill Lynch International, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. and Merrill Lynch Financial Markets, Inc. _____________________________________________________________________________ 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) Disclaimed (See #9 above) _____________________________________________________________________________ 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* HC, CO _____________________________________________________________________________ *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! CUSIP No. 04010L103 13G _____________________________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Merrill Lynch International _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_] (b) [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. SEC USE ONLY ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION England ____________________________________________________________________________ NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 49,224 _________________________________________________________________ BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 0 _________________________________________________________________ EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 49,224 ______________________________________________________________ PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 0 _____________________________________________________________________________ 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 49,224 _____________________________________________________________________________ 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) .06% _____________________________________________________________________________ 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* BD _____________________________________________________________________________ CUSIP NO. 04010L103 13G _____________________________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Merrill Lynch Financial Markets, Inc. _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_] (b) [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. SEC USE ONLY ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware ____________________________________________________________________________ NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 115,900 _________________________________________________________________ BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 0 _________________________________________________________________ EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 115,900 ______________________________________________________________ PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 0 _____________________________________________________________________________ 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 115,900 _____________________________________________________________________________ 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) .15% _____________________________________________________________________________ 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* BD _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Merrill Lynch Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated _____________________________________________________________________________ 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_] (b) [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. SEC USE ONLY ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware ____________________________________________________________________________ NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 4,485,095 _________________________________________________________________ BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 0 _________________________________________________________________ EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 4,485,095 ______________________________________________________________ PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 0 _____________________________________________________________________________ 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 4,485,095 _____________________________________________________________________________ 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] _____________________________________________________________________________ 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 6.17% _____________________________________________________________________________ 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* BD, IA _____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: Ares Capital Corporation. _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 280 Park Avenue, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10017 _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: Merrill Lynch & CO., Inc. (ML&CO) Merrill Lynch International (MLI) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (MLPF&S) Merrill Lynch Financial Markets, Inc (MLFM) ___________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office, or if None, Residence: MERRILL LYNCH & CO. INC. MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL 4 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER 2 KING EDWARD STREET 250 VESEY ST. LONDON EC1A 1HQ, ENGLAND NEW YORK, NEW YORk 10080 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Merrill Lynch Financial Markets, Inc 4 World Financial Center, 4 World Financial Center 250 VESEY ST. 250 VESEY ST. New York, New York 10080 New York, New York 10080 _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(c). Citizenship: SEE ITEM 4 OF COVER PAGES _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 04010L103 _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a: ML & Co. is a parent holding company in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G). MLI, a London-based broker-dealer in securities, is a member of the International Securities Markets Association and its activities are regulated by the U.K. Securities and Futures Authority Limited and the London Stock Exchange. MLI is eligible to file this statement of beneficial ownership on Schedule 13G pursuant to a November 24, 1993 no-action letter from the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Corporation Finance (1993 SEC No-Act. LEXIS 1121 (November 24, 1993)). Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith is a: (a) [X] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act. (e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E) Merrill Lynch Financial Markets, Inc , a wholly owned subsidiary of ML&Co., Inc., is registered with the U.S. SEC as an OTC Derivatives Dealer. CUSIP No. 04010L103 13G Item 4. Ownership. Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1. (a) Amount beneficially owned: 4,650,219. (b) Percent of class: 6.39% (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: SEE ITEM 5 OF COVER PAGES (ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: SEE ITEM 6 OF COVER PAGES (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: SEE ITEM 7 OF COVER PAGES (iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of SEE ITEM 8 OF COVER PAGE _____________________________________________________________________________ Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than 5 percent of the class of securities, check the following [ ] _______________________________________________________________________________ Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. NOT APPLICABLE _______________________________________________________________________________ Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. MLI is a London-based broker-dealer in securities which provides its customers with general investment banking, advisory, dealing and corporate finance services, organized under the laws of England and Wales. MLI, is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of ML & Co., Inc. MLPF&S and MLFM are wholly owned subsidiaries of ML&Co., Inc. _______________________________________________________________________________ Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. NOT APPLICABLE _______________________________________________________________________________ Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. NOT APPLICABLE _______________________________________________________________________________ CUSIP No. 04010L103 13G Item 10. Certifications. By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. February 14, 2008 MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL By: /s/ Pia Thompson By: /s/ Andrew Briski -------------------------------- ------------------------------------- Name: Pia Thompson Name: Andrew Briski Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Managing Director MERRILL LYNCH FINANCIAL MARKETS, INC. By: /s/ Jonathan Beebe ------------------------------------- Name: Jonathan Beebe Title: Senior Vice President MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED By: /s/ Pia Thompson -------------------------------- Name: Pia Thompson Title: Assistant Secretary * Executed pursuant to a Power of Attorney, dated November 17, 1995, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A. Schedule 13G Exhibit A Power of Attorney The undersigned, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (the "Corporation"), a corporation duly organized under the laws of Delaware, with its principal place of business at World Financial Center, North Tower, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281 does hereby make, constitute and appoint Richard B. Alsop, Richard D. Kreuder, Andrea Lowenthal, Gregory T. Russo, or any individual from time to time elected or appointed as secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation, acting severally, each of whose address is Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., World Financial Center, North Tower, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281, as its true and lawful attorneys- in-fact, for it and in its name, place and stead (i) to execute on behalf of the Corporation and cause to be filed and/or delivered, as required under Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") and the regulations thereunder, any number, as appropriate, of original, copies, or electronic filings of the Securities and Exchange Commission Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G Beneficial Ownership Reports (together with any amendments and joint filing agreements under Rule 13d-1(f)(1) of the Act, as may be required thereto) to be filed and/or delivered with respect to any equity security (as defined in Rule 13d-1(d) under the Act) beneficially owned by the undersigned and which must be reported by the undersigned pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Act and the regulations thereunder, (ii) to execute on behalf of the Corporation and cause to be filed and/or delivered, any number, as appropriate, of original, copies or electronic filings of any forms (including without limitation), Securities and Exchange Commission Forms 3, 4 and 5) required to be filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Act and the regulations thereunder, and (iii) generally to take such other actions and perform such other things necessary to effectuate the foregoing as fully in a all respects as if the undersigned could do if personally present. This Power of Attorney shall remain in effect until revoked, in writing, by the undersigned. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney, this 17th day of November 1995. MERRILL LYNCH & CO., INC. By: /s/ David H. Komansky _____________________________________________ Name: David H. Komansky Title: President and Chief Operating Officer