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Aberforth Smaller TrustLSE:ASL -2.05%55 Debt-to-Equity is 0.05 as of Dec. 2025, which is at its 10-year median of 0.05. GuruFocus rates LSE:ASL with a GF Score™ of 55/100 and a GF Value™ of £13.48 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 962 Asset Management companies, Aberforth Smaller Trust ranks better than 81.29% 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 Aberforth Smaller Trust's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
LSE:ASL'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.01 Med: 0.05 Max: 0.07
Current: 0.05
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of Aberforth Smaller Trust was 0.07. The lowest was 0.01. And the median was 0.05.
LSE:ASL's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 81.29% of 962
companies
in the Asset Management industry
Industry Median: 0.21
vs LSE:ASL: 0.05
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.
Aberforth Smaller Trust Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
Aberforth Smaller Trust 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.
LSE:ASL vs BLK, BX, KKR: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Asset Management subindustry, Aberforth Smaller Trust'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.
Aberforth Smaller Trust Debt-to-Equity vs Asset Management Industry
For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, Aberforth Smaller Trust's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Aberforth Smaller Trust'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.
Aberforth Smaller Trust (LSE:ASL) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.05 as of Dec. 2025. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on Aberforth Smaller Trust and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 0.05. Over the past decade, Aberforth Smaller Trust's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.01 to 0.07. According to the industry distribution chart, Aberforth Smaller Trust ranks #180 out of 962 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 18.7%.
Is Aberforth Smaller Trust's Debt-to-Equity too high?
Aberforth Smaller Trust's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.05 is near median its 10-year median of 0.05. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.01 to a high of 0.07. The Asset Management industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.21. Aberforth Smaller Trust's value of 0.05 is 76.2% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Aberforth Smaller Trust ranks #180 out of 962 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Aberforth Smaller Trust has a GF Score™ of 55/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Aberforth Smaller Trust's Debt-to-Equity compare to BLK and BX?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Aberforth Smaller Trust ranks #180 out of 962 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places Aberforth Smaller Trust in the top 19% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.21. Aberforth Smaller Trust's value of 0.05 is 76.2% below this benchmark. Historically, Aberforth Smaller Trust's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.01 to 0.07 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.05 vs. the industry median of 0.21, Aberforth Smaller Trust 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 an Asset Management company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Asset Management companies is 0.21, based on 962 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. Aberforth Smaller Trust's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.05 is 76.2% 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 Aberforth Smaller Trust and its competitors. For the Asset Management industry, the median Debt-to-Equity is 0.21 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Aberforth Smaller Trust's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.05, which is near median its own 10-year median of 0.05. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Aberforth Smaller Trust stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Aberforth Smaller Trust (LSE:ASL) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £13.48, compared to a current price of £17.16 — trading 27.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.05, which is near median its 10-year median of 0.05 and 76.2% below the Asset Management industry median of 0.21. Aberforth Smaller Trust's overall GF Score™ is 55/100 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 Aberforth Smaller Trust (LSE:ASL), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.05 as of Dec. 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.
Is Aberforth Smaller Trust (LSE:ASL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Aberforth Smaller Trust stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of £17.16 is trading 27.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of £13.48.
GuruFocus considers Aberforth Smaller Trust to be Modestly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for LSE:ASL:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.05 (near median its 10-year median of 0.05)
GF Value™: £13.48 vs. price of £17.16 (27.3% above fair value)
Industry Position: 76.2% below the Asset Management median (#180 of 962)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LSE:ASL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust PLC is a UK based closed-ended investment trust. Its objective is to achieve a net asset value total return (with dividends reinvested) greater than that of the Numis Smaller Companies Index (excluding Investment Companies) over the long term. The Company also aims to achieve its objective by investing in small United Kingdom quoted companies. It invests in various sectors, such as technology, telecommunications, health care, financials, real estate, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, industrials, basic materials and energy.
55GF Score
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