Glossary Debt To Equity Ratio

Debt To Equity Ratio

Definition of Debt To Equity Ratio

The debt to equity ratio is a measure of a company’s financial health that’s calculated by dividing liabilities from shareholder equity.

Debt to equity ratio: Total liabilities / Shareholder equity

A high debt to equity ratio means that a company is taking on more debt to run its business. A low debt to equity ratio means that a company is operating at low debt.

That’s why investors calculate the D/E ratio to understand a company’s ability to operate without debt. Generally, D/E is used for comparative analysis within sectors, not across industries because the ideal debt ratio may vary.

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