In general, there is no single “ideal” debt to equity ratio, as it can vary depending on the industry, the company's stage of development, and its specific circumstances. However, many analysts suggest that a good debt to equity ratio of 2:1 or less is generally considered healthy for most companies.
A high Debt-to-Equity Ratio might suggest that the company is taking on a lot of debt, which could impact its profitability and its ability to pay dividends to shareholders. It also indicates higher financial risk, as the company may struggle to meet its debt obligations if profits decline.
Generally, a mix of equity and debt is good for a company, though too much debt can be a strain. Typically, a debt ratio of 0.4 (40%) or below would be considered better than a debt ratio of 0.6 (60%) or higher.
If a company is confident of its cashflow, and has an established revenue stream, issuing debt is always preferable to issuing new equity, and is a lot cheaper. Debt has a fixed cost, which is amortised over an extended period, and can be planned for.
Since Debt is almost always cheaper than Equity, Debt is almost always the answer. Debt is cheaper than Equity because interest paid on Debt is tax-deductible, and lenders' expected returns are lower than those of equity investors (shareholders). The risk and potential returns of Debt are both lower.
Debt funds are better for short-term investments because of their lower risk and potential to offer relatively stable returns, while equity funds are more suited for long-term investments as they entail higher risk but offer higher return potential in the long term.
The optimal debt-to-equity ratio will tend to vary widely by industry, but the general consensus is that it should not be above a level of 2.0.
Google (GOOGL) Debt-to-Equity : 0.09 (As of Sep. 2024)
Generally, a good debt ratio for a business is around 1 to 1.5. However, the debt-to-equity ratio can vary significantly based on the business's growth stage and industry sector. For example, newer and expanding companies often utilise debt to drive growth.
A low figure shows the company has good financial standing. Financial experts generally consider a debt-to-equity ratio of one or lower to be superb. Because a low debt-to-equity ratio means the company has low liabilities compared to its equity , it's a common characteristic for many successful businesses.
The optimal capital structure of a company refers to the proportion in which it structures its equity and debt. It is designed to maintain the perfect balance between maximising the wealth and worth of the company and minimising its cost of capital.
A debt is closely related to your trade or business if your primary motive for incurring the debt is business related. You can deduct it on Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Business (Sole Proprietorship) or on your applicable business income tax return.
Limitations of Debt-To-Equity Ratio
It is said that companies with intensive capital will have a higher DE than service companies. 2. The maximum acceptable debt-to-equity ratio for more companies is between 1.5-2 or less. Large companies having a value higher than 2 of the debt-to-equity ratio is acceptable.
What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio? As a general guideline, 43% is the highest DTI ratio a borrower can have and still get qualified for a mortgage. Ideally, lenders prefer a debt-to-income ratio lower than 36%, with no more than 28%–35% of that debt going toward servicing a mortgage.
Apple (AAPL) Debt to Equity Ratio: 1.87
The debt to equity ratio for Apple (AAPL) stock is 1.87 as of Friday, January 10 2025. It's worsened by 16.35% from its 12-month average of 1.61. The debt to equity ratio is calculated by taking the total debt and dividing it by the shareholder equity.
Generally speaking, a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.5 or less is considered good. A high debt-to-equity ratio indicates that a company funds its operations and growth primarily with debt, indicating a higher risk profile because they have more debt to repay.
Amazon debt/equity ratio for the quarter ending September 30, 2024 was 0.21. Amazon average debt/equity ratio for 2023 was 0.36, a 14.29% decline from 2022. Amazon average debt/equity ratio for 2022 was 0.42, a 10.53% decline from 2021. Amazon average debt/equity ratio for 2021 was 0.38, a 2.56% increase from 2020.
The majority of Page's fortune is derived from his stake in Alphabet, the parent company of Google, the world's largest search engine, according to Net Market Share. The billionaire owns Class B and C shares, giving him about 6% of the business, according to its 2024 proxy and an April 2022 company filing.
Since a high debt-to-equity ratio is associated with increased risk, investors typically prefer businesses with low to moderate D/E ratios (1-2). Overleveraged companies might not appeal to potential investors due to the increased probability of bankruptcy.
A debt ratio between 30% and 36% is also considered good. It's when you're approaching 40% that you have to be very, very vigilant. With a threshold like that, you're a greater risk to lenders.
Key takeaways
Debt-to-income ratio is your monthly debt obligations compared to your gross monthly income (before taxes), expressed as a percentage. A good debt-to-income ratio is less than or equal to 36%. Any debt-to-income ratio above 43% is considered to be too much debt.
Here's a balanced approach: Continue with equity for long-term growth, but allocate 10-20 per cent to debt funds for stability. This will help manage market volatility and ensure you have some liquid assets for unforeseen needs.
The main distinguishing factor between equity vs debt funds is risk e.g. equity has a higher risk profile compared to debt. Investors should understand that risk and return are directly related, in other words, you have to take more risk to get higher returns.