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HSBC HoldingsHSBC -1.59%57 Debt-to-Equity is 0.52 as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% below its 10-year median of 0.53. GuruFocus rates HSBC with a GF Score™ of 57/100 and a GF Value™ of $55.70 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,421 Banks companies, HSBC Holdings ranks better than 52.57% 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 HSBC Holdings's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
HSBC'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.31 Med: 0.53 Max: 1.48
Current: 0.52
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of HSBC Holdings was 1.48. The lowest was 0.31. And the median was 0.53.
HSBC's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 52.57% of 1421
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: 0.56
vs HSBC: 0.52
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.
HSBC Holdings Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
HSBC Holdings Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for HSBC Holdings'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.
For the Banks - Diversified subindustry, HSBC Holdings'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.
HSBC Holdings Debt-to-Equity vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, HSBC Holdings's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where HSBC Holdings'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.
HSBC Holdings (HSBC) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.52 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on HSBC Holdings and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 0.53. Over the past decade, HSBC Holdings' Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.31 to 1.48. According to the industry distribution chart, HSBC Holdings ranks #674 out of 1421 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 47.4%.
Is HSBC Holdings' Debt-to-Equity too high?
HSBC Holdings' current Debt-to-Equity of 0.52 is near median its 10-year median of 0.53. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.31 to a high of 1.48. The Banks industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. HSBC Holdings' value of 0.52 is 7.1% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, HSBC Holdings ranks #674 out of 1421 companies in the Banks industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, HSBC Holdings has a GF Score™ of 57/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does HSBC Holdings' Debt-to-Equity compare to JPM and BAC?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, HSBC Holdings ranks #674 out of 1421 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This puts HSBC Holdings in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. HSBC Holdings' value of 0.52 is 7.1% below this benchmark. Historically, HSBC Holdings' own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.31 to 1.48 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.53 vs. the industry median of 0.56, HSBC Holdings 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 0.56, based on 1,421 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. HSBC Holdings's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.52 is 7.1% 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 HSBC Holdings and its competitors. For the Banks industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. HSBC Holdings's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.52, which is near median its own 10-year median of 0.53. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is HSBC Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, HSBC Holdings (HSBC) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $55.70, compared to a current price of $99.01 — trading 77.8% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.52, which is near median its 10-year median of 0.53 and 7.1% below the Banks industry median of 0.56. HSBC Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 57/100 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 HSBC Holdings (HSBC), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.52 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 HSBC Holdings (HSBC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, HSBC Holdings stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $99.01 is trading 77.8% above its estimated GF Value™ of $55.70.
GuruFocus considers HSBC Holdings to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for HSBC:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.52 (near median its 10-year median of 0.53)
GF Value™: $55.70 vs. price of $99.01 (77.8% above fair value)
Industry Position: 7.1% below the Banks median (#674 of 1421)
No single metric tells the full story. See the HSBC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Established in 1865 in Hong Kong, London-based HSBC is one of the largest banks in the world, with assets of USD 3 trillion and over 40 million customers worldwide. It operates in more than 50 countries with over 200,000 full-time staff. Hong Kong and the United Kingdom are its two largest markets. The bank offers retail, commercial and institutional banking, global banking and markets, wealth management, and private banking.
57GF Score
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