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Dis-Chem PharmaciesJSE:DCP -0.56%84 Debt-to-Equity is 1.18 as of Feb. 2026, which is 19% below its 10-year median of 1.45. GuruFocus rates JSE:DCP with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of R38.62 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 560 Healthcare Providers & Services companies, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks worse than 77.32% 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
JSE:DCP'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 1.18 Med: 1.45 Max: 2.47
Current: 1.18
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Dis-Chem Pharmacies was 2.47. The lowest was 1.18. And the median was 1.45.
JSE:DCP's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 77.32% of 560
companies
in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry
Industry Median: 0.42
vs JSE:DCP: 1.18
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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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 Pharmaceutical Retailers subindustry, Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Debt-to-Equity vs Healthcare Providers & Services Industry
For the Healthcare Providers & Services industry and Healthcare sector, Dis-Chem Pharmacies's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Dis-Chem Pharmacies'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.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) has a Debt-to-Equity of 1.18 as of Feb. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Dis-Chem Pharmacies and its competitors. This is 19% below median its historical median of 1.45. Over the past decade, Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.18 to 2.47. According to the industry distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #433 out of 560 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, placing it in the top 77.3%.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Debt-to-Equity too high?
Dis-Chem Pharmacies' current Debt-to-Equity of 1.18 is 19% below median its 10-year median of 1.45. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 1.18 to a high of 2.47. The Healthcare Providers & Services industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.42. Dis-Chem Pharmacies' value of 1.18 is 181% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #433 out of 560 companies in the Healthcare Providers & Services industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Dis-Chem Pharmacies has a GF Score™ of 84/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Dis-Chem Pharmacies' Debt-to-Equity compare to competitors?
According to the Healthcare Providers & Services industry distribution chart, Dis-Chem Pharmacies ranks #433 out of 560 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Dis-Chem Pharmacies in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.42. Dis-Chem Pharmacies' value of 1.18 is 181% above this benchmark. Historically, Dis-Chem Pharmacies' own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 1.18 to 2.47 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.45 vs. the industry median of 0.42, Dis-Chem Pharmacies 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 560 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. Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current Debt-to-Equity of 1.18 is 181% 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies 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. Dis-Chem Pharmacies's current Debt-to-Equity is 1.18, which is 19% below median its own 10-year median of 1.45. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is R38.62, compared to a current price of R28.50 — trading 26.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 1.18, which is 19% below median its 10-year median of 1.45 and 181% above the Healthcare Providers & Services industry median of 0.42. Dis-Chem Pharmacies' overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 5 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP), the current Debt-to-Equity is 1.18 as of Feb. 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 Dis-Chem Pharmacies (JSE:DCP) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Dis-Chem Pharmacies stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of R28.50 is trading 26.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of R38.62.
GuruFocus considers Dis-Chem Pharmacies to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for JSE:DCP:
Debt-to-Equity: 1.18 (19% below median its 10-year median of 1.45)
GF Value™: R38.62 vs. price of R28.50 (26.2% below fair value)
Industry Position: 181% above the Healthcare Providers & Services median (#433 of 560)
No single metric tells the full story. See the JSE:DCP stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Dis-Chem Pharmacies Ltd is a pharmaceutical company based in South Africa. Its product portfolio includes personal care products, beauty products, healthcare and nutrition products, and dispensary and baby care products. The operating segments of the group are Retail and Wholesale. It derives maximum revenue from the Retail segment, which includes company stores, retailers of pharmaceuticals and a variety of health and beauty products, as well as pharma-logistic services and oncology and retailers of pharmaceutical products. The Wholesale segment consists of the CJ wholesale and company distribution businesses, wholesalers of pharmaceuticals, and a variety of health and beauty products. Geographically, the group carries out its business operations principally in South Africa.
84GF Score
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