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.
Kelly ServicesKELYB -3.96%64 Debt-to-Equity is 0.19 as of Mar. 2026, which is 217% above its 10-year median of 0.06. GuruFocus rates KELYB with a GF Score™ of 64/100 and a GF Value™ of $21.05 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 11 warning signs investors should review. Among 958 Business Services companies, Kelly Services ranks better than 62.32% 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 Kelly Services's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
KELYB'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0 Med: 0.06 Max: 0.25
Current: 0.19
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Kelly Services was 0.25. The lowest was 0.00. And the median was 0.06.
KELYB's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 62.32% of 958
companies
in the Business Services industry
Industry Median: 0.33
vs KELYB: 0.19
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.
Kelly Services Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Kelly Services Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Kelly Services'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.
KELYB vs TBI, HQI, BBSI: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Staffing & Employment Services subindustry, Kelly Services'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.
Kelly Services Debt-to-Equity vs Business Services Industry
For the Business Services industry and Industrials sector, Kelly Services's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kelly Services'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.
Kelly Services (KELYB) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.19 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Kelly Services and its competitors. This is 217% above median its historical median of 0.06. According to the industry distribution chart, Kelly Services ranks #361 out of 958 companies in the Business Services industry, placing it in the top 37.7%.
Is Kelly Services' Debt-to-Equity too high?
Kelly Services' current Debt-to-Equity of 0.19 is 217% above median its 10-year median of 0.06. The Business Services industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.33. Kelly Services' value of 0.19 is 42.4% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Kelly Services ranks #361 out of 958 companies in the Business Services industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Kelly Services has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kelly Services' Debt-to-Equity compare to TBI and HQI?
According to the Business Services industry distribution chart, Kelly Services ranks #361 out of 958 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This puts Kelly Services in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.33. Kelly Services' value of 0.19 is 42.4% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 0.06 vs. the industry median of 0.33, Kelly Services 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 Business Services company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Business Services companies is 0.33, based on 958 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. Kelly Services's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.19 is 42.4% 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 Kelly Services and its competitors. For the Business Services industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.33 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Kelly Services's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.19, which is 217% above median its own 10-year median of 0.06. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kelly Services stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kelly Services (KELYB) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $21.05, compared to a current price of $22.08 — trading 4.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.19, which is 217% above median its 10-year median of 0.06 and 42.4% below the Business Services industry median of 0.33. Kelly Services' overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 11 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 Kelly Services (KELYB), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.19 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 Kelly Services (KELYB) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kelly Services stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $22.08 is trading 4.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of $21.05.
GuruFocus considers Kelly Services to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for KELYB:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.19 (217% above median its 10-year median of 0.06)
GF Value™: $21.05 vs. price of $22.08 (4.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 42.4% below the Business Services median (#361 of 958)
No single metric tells the full story. See the KELYB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Kelly Services Inc is a specialty talent solutions company. The company operates through three reportable segments: i) Enterprise Talent Management, which provides temporary staffing, outsourcing, and permanent placement services across industrial, contact center, and clerical roles, ii) Science, Engineering & Technology, which supplies specialized talent across multiple industries, and iii) Education, which delivers staffing, placement, and executive search services to Pre-K-12 school districts and education organizations in the United States. The majority of the company's revenue is derived from the Enterprise Talent Management segment. Geographically, it generates the maximum revenue from the United States, followed by Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region.
64GF Score
Get the complete analysis for KELYB
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
KELYB has been successfully added to your 
