Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Absa GroupJSE:ABG +1.28%70 Debt-to-Equity is 1.36 as of Jun. 2026, which is 8% below its 10-year median of 1.48. GuruFocus rates JSE:ABG with a GF Score™ of 70/100 and a GF Value™ of R196.34 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,414 Banks companies, Absa Group ranks worse than 76.59% 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 Absa Group's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
JSE:ABG'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.14 Med: 1.48 Max: 1.74
Current: 1.36
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Absa Group was 1.74. The lowest was 1.14. And the median was 1.48.
JSE:ABG's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 76.59% of 1414
companies
in the Banks industry
Industry Median: 0.58
vs JSE:ABG: 1.36
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.
Absa Group Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Absa Group Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Absa Group'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 - Regional subindustry, Absa Group'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.
Absa Group Debt-to-Equity vs Banks Industry
For the Banks industry and Financial Services sector, Absa Group's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Absa Group'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.
Absa Group (JSE:ABG) has a Debt-to-Equity of 1.36 as of Jun. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Absa Group and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 1.48. Over the past decade, Absa Group's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.14 to 1.74. According to the industry distribution chart, Absa Group ranks #1083 out of 1414 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 76.6%.
Is Absa Group's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Absa Group's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.36 is near median its 10-year median of 1.48. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.14 to a high of 1.74. The Banks industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.58. Absa Group's value of 1.36 is 134.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Absa Group ranks #1083 out of 1414 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Absa Group has a GF Score™ of 70/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Absa Group's Debt-to-Equity compare to PNC and USB?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, Absa Group ranks #1083 out of 1414 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Absa Group in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.58. Absa Group's value of 1.36 is 134.5% above this benchmark. Historically, Absa Group's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.14 to 1.74 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.48 vs. the industry median of 0.58, Absa Group 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 Banks company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Banks companies is 0.58, based on 1,414 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. Absa Group's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.36 is 134.5% 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-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 Absa Group 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. Absa Group's current Debt-to-Equity is 1.36, which is near median its own 10-year median of 1.48. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Absa Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Absa Group (JSE:ABG) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is R196.34, compared to a current price of R231.47 — trading 17.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 1.36, which is near median its 10-year median of 1.48 and 134.5% above the Banks industry median of 0.58. Absa Group's overall GF Score™ is 70/100 with 2 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 Absa Group (JSE:ABG), the current Debt-to-Equity is 1.36 as of Jun. 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 Absa Group (JSE:ABG) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Absa Group stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of R231.47 is trading 17.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of R196.34.
GuruFocus considers Absa Group to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for JSE:ABG:
Debt-to-Equity: 1.36 (near median its 10-year median of 1.48)
GF Value™: R196.34 vs. price of R231.47 (17.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 134.5% above the Banks median (#1083 of 1414)
No single metric tells the full story. See the JSE:ABG stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Absa Group Ltd is a financial services company that has two main business segments: Personal and Private Banking offers a comprehensive range of product and services to the retail consumer segments. Customers are served through an extensive integrated channel network across physical and virtual points of presence, including partnerships, and more increasingly through digital. and Business Banking consists of business units and associated products where a designated client relationship exists. The business provides customers with a single relationship manager, supported by a team of specialists, rather than multiple touchpoints within the Group. Majority of the revenue is earn from Personal and Private Banking.
70GF Score
Get the complete analysis for JSE:ABG
Debt-to-Equity is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
JSE:ABG has been successfully added to your 
