Gearing Ratio (2024)

Gearing focuses on the capital structure of the business – that means the proportion of finance that is provided by debt relative to the finance provided by equity (or shareholders).

The gearing ratio is also concerned with liquidity. However, it focuses on the long-term financial stability of a business.

Gearing (otherwise known as "leverage") measures the proportion of assets invested in a business that are financed by long-term borrowing.

In theory, the higher the level of borrowing (gearing) the higher are the risks to a business, since the payment of interest and repayment of debts are not "optional" in the same way as dividends. However, gearing can be a financially sound part of a business's capital structure particularly if the business has strong, predictable cash flows.

Gearing Ratio (1)

Notes:

Long-term liabilities include loans due more than one year + preference shares + mortgages

Capital employed = Share capital + retained earnings + long-term liabilities

How can the gearing ratio be evaluated?

  • A business with a gearing ratio of more than 50% is traditionally said to be "highly geared".
  • A business with gearing of less than 25% is traditionally described as having "low gearing"
  • Something between 25% - 50% would be considered normal for a well-established business which is happy to finance its activities using debt.

It is important to remember that financing a business through long-term debt is not necessarily a bad thing! Long-term debt is normally cheap, and it reduces the amount that shareholders have to invest in the business.

What is a sensible level of gearing? Much depends on the ability of the business to grow profits and generate positive cash flow to service the debt. A mature business which produces strong and reliable cash flows can handle a much higher level of gearing than a business where the cash flows are unpredictable and uncertain.

Another important point to remember is that the long-term capital structure of the business is very much in the control of the shareholders and management. Steps can be taken to change or manage the level of gearing – for example:

Gearing Ratio (2)
Gearing Ratio (2024)

FAQs

Gearing Ratio? ›

Key Takeaways

Is a higher or lower gearing ratio better? ›

A company with a low gearing ratio is generally considered more financially sound, so may attract more investment as a comparatively safe option. For investors, the gearing ratio also shows whether a company is already paying high amounts of interest to any lenders.

What does a gearing ratio of 0.5 mean? ›

Gearing Ratio = 1,000,000 / 2,000,000 = 0.5 or 50% This means that the company has a gearing ratio of 50%, which indicates that it has more debt than equity.

Is a 30% gearing ratio good? ›

Gearing ratio above 50%: indicates that the company is at risk during times of financial instability. Gearing ratio between 25% and 50%: indicates that the company could comfortably manage risk. Gearing ratio below 25%: Indicates that the company has little debt and is very low risk for investors.

What do you mean by gear ratio? ›

The gear ratio is the number of turns the output shaft makes while the input shaft turns one time. If the gear ratio is 2:1, then the smaller gear is turning two times while the larger gear turns just once. It also means that the larger gear has twice as many teeth as the smaller gear.

What are good gearing ratios? ›

A business with a gearing ratio of more than 50% is traditionally said to be "highly geared". Something between 25% - 50% would be considered normal for a well-established business which is happy to finance its activities using debt.

Is High gearing good or bad? ›

Having a high gearing ratio means that a company is using more debt to fund its operations, which may increase the financial risk. But high ratios may work well for certain companies, especially if they are capital-intensive as it shows they are investing in their growth.

What is a poor gearing ratio? ›

However, there are some basic guidelines that can be used to identify desirable and undesirable ratios: A high gearing ratio is anything above 50% A low gearing ratio is anything below 25% An optimal gearing ratio is anything between 25% and 50%

How to read gear ratio? ›

You just count the number of teeth on the two gears and divide the two numbers. So if one gear has 60 teeth and another has 20, the gear ratio when these two gears are connected together is 3:1. They make it so that slight imperfections in the actual diameter and circumference of two gears don't matter.

What is meant by a gear ratio of 0.8 1? ›

It signifies the overdrive. for ex if gear ratio is 0.8:1 it shows that for 0.8 revolutions of clutch shaft, main shaft makes 1 revolution.

Is 90% gearing ratio good? ›

However, gearing ratios are best compared against the industry average. For instance, if an industry has an average gearing ratio of 80%, a company with a 70% ratio can be considered attractive for an investor. In contrast, another company with a ratio of 90% can be considered unattractive.

Can a gearing ratio be over 100? ›

If you look at the inner workings of an old fashioned clock you can see gear ratios well over 100:1. This is accomplished by multiple stages of gears.

What gear ratio is most efficient? ›

The gear ratio has a significant impact on a vehicle's acceleration and fuel efficiency. A (numerically) lower gear ratio, such as 3.08:1, will provide better fuel economy but slower acceleration than a gear ratio that is numerically higher. It will also allow a vehicle to reach a higher top speed.

Is it better to have a higher or lower gear ratio? ›

Power and Torque: Different gear ratios provide different levels of power and torque. For example, a lower gear ratio will provide more torque and better acceleration, while a higher gear ratio will provide less torque but better fuel efficiency.

What does a gear ratio of 5 mean? ›

A: A 1 to 5 gear ratio means that for every one revolution of the input gear, the output gear will make five revolutions. This ratio is a measure of the mechanical advantage created by the gears, often used to increase output speed in relation to the input speed.

What gear ratio is best for acceleration? ›

Rear end gears (2.79's, 3.00's, 3.25's, etc) are great for freeway driving, bit not good for 0-60 MPH or accelerating from a dead stop. Shorter gears (higher numbers) are much better suited for accelerating, such as 3.55, 3.73, 3.91's, 4.11's etc. Always remember, for very “give” there is a “take”.

Is lower gearing better? ›

Here, the ratio between the engine gear and the wheels themselves is lowest; higher ratios correspond to higher numbers on your gearshift. In general, you'll want to keep this rule of thumb in mind: the lower the gear, the more power you have available. The higher the gear, the faster your engine runs!

What does higher gearing do? ›

Gearing up adds more speed and decreases the final drive ratio. You can gear down by using a larger rear sprocket or a smaller front sprocket. Gearing down reduces speed and increases the final drive ratio.

Is there an optimal level of gearing? ›

There is an optimal gearing level at which WACC is minimised and the total value of the company is maximised. Financial managers have a duty to achieve and maintain this level of gearing.

How high is a high gearing ratio? ›

A high gearing ratio that exceeds 50%.

A gearing ratio that exceeds this amount would represent a highly geared (or highly levered) company. The company would be more at risk during times of financial instability, as debt financing would increase a business's risk during economic downturns or interest rates spikes.

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