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Smart (J) (Contractors)LSE:SMJ 57 Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.02 as of Jan. 2026, which is 549% above its 10-year median of 1.39. GuruFocus rates LSE:SMJ with a GF Score™ of 57/100 and a GF Value™ of £2.24 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 1,410 Construction companies, Smart (J) (Contractors) ranks better than 71.35% on this metric.
Debt-to-EBITDA measures a company's ability to pay off its debt.
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt. According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
The historical rank and industry rank for Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:SMJ'
s Debt-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -9.45 Med: 1.39 Max: 19.05
Current: 0.83
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio of Smart (J) (Contractors) was 19.05. The lowest was -9.45. And the median was 1.39.
LSE:SMJ's Debt-to-EBITDA is ranked better than 71.35% of 1410
companies
in the Construction industry
Industry Median: 2.115
vs LSE:SMJ: 0.83
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt.
According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
Smart (J) (Contractors) Debt-to-EBITDA Related Terms
Smart (J) (Contractors) Debt-to-EBITDA Historical Data
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
LSE:SMJ vs PWR, FIX, EME: Debt-to-EBITDA Comparison
For the Engineering & Construction subindustry, Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-EBITDA data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Smart (J) (Contractors) Debt-to-EBITDA vs Construction Industry
For the Construction industry and Industrials sector, Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Debt-to-EBITDA, the EBITDA of the last fiscal year is used. In calculating the annualized quarterly data,
the EBITDA data used here is two times the quarterly (Jan. 2026) EBITDA data.
Smart (J) (Contractors) (LSE:SMJ) has a Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.02 as of Jan. 2026. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Smart (J) (Contractors). This is 549% above median its historical median of 1.39. According to the industry distribution chart, Smart (J) (Contractors) ranks #404 out of 1410 companies in the Construction industry, placing it in the top 28.7%.
Is Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA too high?
Smart (J) (Contractors)'s current Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.02 is 549% above median its 10-year median of 1.39. The Construction industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.12. Smart (J) (Contractors)'s value of 9.02 is 326.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Smart (J) (Contractors) ranks #404 out of 1410 companies in the Construction industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Smart (J) (Contractors) has a GF Score™ of 57/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Smart (J) (Contractors)'s Debt-to-EBITDA compare to PWR and FIX?
According to the Construction industry distribution chart, Smart (J) (Contractors) ranks #404 out of 1410 companies for Debt-to-EBITDA. This puts Smart (J) (Contractors) in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.12. Smart (J) (Contractors)'s value of 9.02 is 326.5% above this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 1.39 vs. the industry median of 2.12, Smart (J) (Contractors) has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-EBITDA for a Construction company?
The median Debt-to-EBITDA among Construction companies is 2.12, based on 1,410 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Smart (J) (Contractors)'s current Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.02 is 326.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-EBITDA mean?
A high Debt-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Smart (J) (Contractors). For the Construction industry, the median Debt-to-EBITDA is 2.12 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Smart (J) (Contractors)'s current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.02, which is 549% above median its own 10-year median of 1.39. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Smart (J) (Contractors) stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Smart (J) (Contractors) (LSE:SMJ) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £2.24, compared to a current price of £1.15 — trading 48.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.02, which is 549% above median its 10-year median of 1.39 and 326.5% above the Construction industry median of 2.12. Smart (J) (Contractors)'s overall GF Score™ is 57/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-EBITDA calculated?
Debt-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Smart (J) (Contractors) (LSE:SMJ), the current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.02 as of Jan. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Smart (J) (Contractors) (LSE:SMJ) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Smart (J) (Contractors) stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of £1.15 is trading 48.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of £2.24.
GuruFocus considers Smart (J) (Contractors) to be Significantly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for LSE:SMJ:
Debt-to-EBITDA: 9.02 (549% above median its 10-year median of 1.39)
GF Value™: £2.24 vs. price of £1.15 (48.7% below fair value)
Industry Position: 326.5% above the Construction median (#404 of 1410)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LSE:SMJ stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Smart (J) & Co (Contractors) PLC is a construction company. Its activities include building and civil engineering contracting, a residential development for sale, and the development of industrial and commercial property for lease and sale. The main construction activity undertaken by the company is that of social housing for several housing associations and registered social landlords predominately in the Edinburgh area. It has a portfolio of self-financed industrial and commercial properties that are owned and managed by its subsidiary company. The investment properties are located throughout the central belt of Scotland and in the Edinburgh area.
57GF Score
Get the complete analysis for LSE:SMJ
Debt-to-EBITDA is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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