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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 Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
BUE:WBA'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.44 Med: 1.42 Max: 4.24
Current: 4.04
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Walgreens Boots Alliance was 4.24. The lowest was 0.44. And the median was 1.42.
BUE:WBA's Debt-to-Equity is not ranked
in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry.
Industry Median: 0.42
vs BUE:WBA: 4.04
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.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Walgreens Boots Alliance Debt-to-Equity 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.
BUE:WBA vs WGRX, PETS, BHIC: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Pharmaceutical Retailers subindustry, Walgreens Boots Alliance'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.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Debt-to-Equity vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry
For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Walgreens Boots Alliance'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.
Walgreens Boots Alliance (BUE:WBA) has a Debt-to-Equity of 4.04 as of May. 2025. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Walgreens Boots Alliance and its competitors. This is 185% above median its historical median of 1.42. Over the past decade, Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.44 to 4.24.
Is Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Walgreens Boots Alliance's current Debt-to-Equity of 4.04 is 185% above median its 10-year median of 1.42. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.44 to a high of 4.24. The Healthcare Providers & Services industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.42. Walgreens Boots Alliance's value of 4.04 is 861.9% above this industry median. Overall, Walgreens Boots Alliance has a GF Score™ of 15/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity compare to WGRX and PETS?
Walgreens Boots Alliance's Debt-to-Equity of 4.04 can be compared against companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.42. Walgreens Boots Alliance's value of 4.04 is 861.9% above this benchmark. Historically, Walgreens Boots Alliance's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.44 to 4.24 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.42 vs. the industry median of 0.42, Walgreens Boots Alliance 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-Equity for a Healthcare Providers & Services company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Healthcare Providers & Services companies is 0.42, based on 557 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. Walgreens Boots Alliance's current Debt-to-Equity of 4.04 is 861.9% 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-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 Walgreens Boots Alliance and its competitors. For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.42 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Walgreens Boots Alliance's current Debt-to-Equity is 4.04, which is 185% above median its own 10-year median of 1.42. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Walgreens Boots Alliance stock overvalued right now?
Walgreens Boots Alliance (BUE:WBA) has a current Debt-to-Equity of 4.04. The current Debt-to-Equity is 4.04, which is 185% above median its 10-year median of 1.42 and 861.9% above the Healthcare Providers & Services industry median of 0.42. Walgreens Boots Alliance's overall GF Score™ is 15/100 with 7 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 Walgreens Boots Alliance (BUE:WBA), the current Debt-to-Equity is 4.04 as of May. 2025. 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.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the US, with over 8,000 locations. Nearly three quarters of Americans live within five miles of a Walgreens location. Roughly two thirds of revenue is generated from prescription drug sales; Walgreens makes up 20% of total prescription revenue in the US. Walgreens also generates sales from retail products (general wellness consumables and its own branded merchandise), European drug wholesale, and healthcare. With more locations incorporating additional services like Health Corner and Village Medical, Walgreens creates an omnichannel experience for patients and positions itself as a one-stop healthcare provider.
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