Is highly geared good?
Andrew Campbell
Updated on January 16, 2026
How can the gearing ratio be evaluated? 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.
Are highly geared company exposed to?
A highly geared company is more susceptible to economic downturns and faces a greater risk of default and financial failure. This means that with the limited cash flows that the company is getting, it must meet its operational costs and make debt payments.
What does it mean when a company is highly leveraged?
leverage
When one refers to a company, property, or investment as “highly leveraged,” it means that item has more debt than equity. The concept of leverage is used by both investors and companies.
Why is being highly geared bad?
A gearing ratio higher than 50% is typically considered highly levered or geared. As a result, the company would be at greater financial risk, because during times of lower profits and higher interest rates, the company would be more susceptible to loan default and bankruptcy.
How is gear ratio calculated?
To calculate the gear ratio: Divide the number of driven gear teeth by the number of drive gear teeth. In our example, it’s 28/21 or 4 : 3. This gear ratio shows that the smaller driver gear must turn 1,3 times to get the larger driven gear to make one complete turn.
Is it good for a company to be highly leveraged?
Leverage is neither inherently good nor bad. Leverage amplifies the good or bad effects of the income generation and productivity of the assets in which we invest. Analyze the potential changes in the costs of leverage of your investments, in particular an eventual increase in interest rates.
What are the advantages of gearing?
Benefits of gearing
- Gear your savings to build your wealth faster.
- Invest more money for potentially higher returns.
- Improve risk management by diversifying your investments.
- Take advantage of potential tax deductions.
What does it mean when a company is highly geared?
used to describe a company that has a large amount of debt compared to its share capital, (= money in shares) or the structure of such a company’s capital: Companies with high debts are ‘ highly geared’, and face financial difficulties if their profits fall or interest rates rise.
Which is the best definition of gearing in finance?
Gearing refers to the ratio of a company’s debt relative to its equity; if it’s high, then a firm may be considered as highly geared (or leveraged).
What makes a good or bad gearing ratio?
A safe gearing ratio can vary from company to company and is largely determined by how a company’s debt is managed and how well the company is performing. Many factors should be considered when analyzing gearing ratios such as earnings growth, market share, and the cash flow of the company.
What makes a company a low gearing company?
A company with a low gearing ratio is called a lowly-geared company. A low gearing is the result of a low debt amount of the company in proportion to its equity.