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PopularBPOP -0.77%78 Debt-to-Equity is 0.17 as of Mar. 2026, which is 29% below its 10-year median of 0.24. GuruFocus rates BPOP with a GF Score™ of 78/100 and a GF Value™ of $119.74 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,422 Banks companies, Popular ranks better than 75.67% on this metric.
A high debt to equity ratio generally means that a company has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. This can result in volatile earnings as a result of the additional interest expense.
The historical rank and industry rank for Popular's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
BPOP'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.17 Med: 0.24 Max: 0.35
Current: 0.22
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Popular was 0.35. The lowest was 0.17. And the median was 0.24.
BPOP's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 75.67% of 1422
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: 0.58
vs BPOP: 0.22
Because a company can increase its ROE % by having more financial leverage, it is important to watch the leverage ratio when investing in high ROE % companies.
Popular Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Popular Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Popular's Debt-to-Equity can be seen below:
* 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.
BPOP vs UMBF, WTFC, CFR: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Banks - Regional subindustry, Popular's Debt-to-Equity, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-Equity 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.
Popular Debt-to-Equity vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, Popular's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Popular's Debt-to-Equity 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.
Popular (BPOP) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.17 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Popular and its competitors. This is 29% below median its historical median of 0.24. Over the past decade, Popular's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.17 to 0.35. According to the industry distribution chart, Popular ranks #346 out of 1422 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 24.3%.
Is Popular's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Popular's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.17 is 29% below median its 10-year median of 0.24. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.17 to a high of 0.35. The Banks industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.58. Popular's value of 0.17 is 70.7% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Popular ranks #346 out of 1422 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Popular has a GF Score™ of 78/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Popular's Debt-to-Equity compare to UMBF and WTFC?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, Popular ranks #346 out of 1422 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Popular in the top 24% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.58. Popular's value of 0.17 is 70.7% below this benchmark. Historically, Popular's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.17 to 0.35 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.24 vs. the industry median of 0.58, Popular has consistently been below 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-Equity for a Banks company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Banks companies is 0.58, based on 1,422 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-Equity significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-Equity should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Popular's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.17 is 70.7% below 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-Equity mean?
A high Debt-to-Equity can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Popular and its competitors. For the Banks industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.58 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Popular's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.17, which is 29% below median its own 10-year median of 0.24. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Popular stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Popular (BPOP) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $119.74, compared to a current price of $176.14 — trading 47.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.17, which is 29% below median its 10-year median of 0.24 and 70.7% below the Banks industry median of 0.58. Popular's overall GF Score™ is 78/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-Equity calculated?
Debt-to-Equity is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Popular (BPOP), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.17 as of Mar. 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 Popular (BPOP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Popular stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $176.14 is trading 47.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of $119.74.
GuruFocus considers Popular to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for BPOP:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.17 (29% below median its 10-year median of 0.24)
GF Value™: $119.74 vs. price of $176.14 (47.1% above fair value)
Industry Position: 70.7% below the Banks median (#346 of 1422)
No single metric tells the full story. See the BPOP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Popular Inc, based in Puerto Rico, is a financial holding company with four main subsidiaries: Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, a bank in Puerto Rico in terms of assets; Banco Popular North America, its banking operation in the continental United States; Evertec, a data processor; and Popular Financial Holdings, a diversified financial services company. The Corporation's reportable segments consist of Banco Popular de Puerto Rico and Popular U.S.
78GF Score
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