Debt-to-equity ratio On a balance sheet, the formal definition is that debt (liabilities) plus equity equals assets, or any equivalent reformulation. Both the formulas below are therefore identical: Debt to equity can also be reformulated in terms of assets or debt: General Electric Co. () Debt-to-equity ratio The debt-to-equity ratio (D/E) is a financial ratio indicating the relative proportion of shareholders' equity and debt used to finance a company's assets. Closely related to leveraging, the ratio is also known as risk, gearing or leverage. The two components are often taken from the firm's balance sheet or statement of financial position (so-called book
Corporate finance management is concerned with the allocation of capital resources to increase a firm's value to the shareholders. Historically, modern-day foundation of corporate finance has its roots in the 17th-century Dutch Republic, the birthplace of the world's first formally listed public company, first formal stock exchange and market. The primary goal of financial management is to maximize or to continually increase shareholder value. Maximizing shareholder value requires managers to be able to balance capital funding between investments in projects that increase the firm's long term profitability and sustainability, along with paying excess cash in the form of dividends to shareholders. Managers