Debt-to-Equity Ratio Calculator
How much of the business is funded by lenders rather than owners — and whether the profits comfortably cover the interest.
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How it works
Debt-to-equity compares what the business owes against what the owners have put in and left in. A ratio of 1.0 means lenders and owners have funded the business equally; above 2.0 the business is substantially lender-funded and considerably more fragile in a downturn.
The ratio alone is not enough. Interest cover — operating profit divided by interest — is what tells you whether the debt is actually affordable. A highly geared business with cover of eight times is far safer than a modestly geared one covering interest twice over.
D/E = total debt ÷ shareholders’ equity · Interest cover = operating profit ÷ interest
- Total debt — short and long-term borrowings, including lease liabilities
- Equity — share capital plus retained earnings
- Interest cover — how many times operating profit covers the interest bill
Worked example
32,000,000 of debt against 24,000,000 of equity, 9,600,000 operating profit, 2,880,000 interest
Inputs
Results
Interest cover of 3.3 gives real headroom — a third of operating profit could disappear before the interest became a problem.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy debt-to-equity ratio?
Heavily industry-dependent. Utilities and property routinely run above 2.0 on stable cashflows; software companies often carry almost no debt. Compare against direct competitors, never across sectors.
What interest cover is considered safe?
Above 3× is generally comfortable and below 1.5× is a warning — the business is close to not being able to service its debt from operations. Many loan covenants set a minimum around 2×.
Should leases be counted as debt?
Yes under modern accounting standards, and lenders treat them that way regardless. Excluding lease liabilities understates gearing considerably for any business that rents its premises or equipment.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is transmitted to us or stored.
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