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M&ZMAL:MZ 37 Debt-to-Equity is 0.55 as of Dec. 2025, which is 11% below its 10-year median of 0.62. GuruFocus rates MAL:MZ with a GF Score™ of 37/100 and a GF Value™ of €0.65 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 280 Retail - Defensive companies, M&Z ranks better than 50.36% 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 M&Z's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
MAL:MZ'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.5 Med: 0.62 Max: 0.72
Current: 0.55
During the past 5 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of M&Z was 0.72. The lowest was 0.50. And the median was 0.62.
MAL:MZ's Debt-to-Equity is ranked better than 50.36% of 280
companies
in the Retail - Defensive industry
Industry Median: 0.555
vs MAL:MZ: 0.55
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.
M&Z Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
M&Z Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for M&Z'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.
MAL:MZ vs SYY, USFD, PFGC: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Food Distribution subindustry, M&Z'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.
M&Z Debt-to-Equity vs Retail - Defensive Industry
For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, M&Z's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where M&Z'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.
M&Z (MAL:MZ) has a Debt-to-Equity of 0.55 as of Dec. 2025. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on M&Z and its competitors. This is 11% below median its historical median of 0.62. Over the past decade, M&Z's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.50 to 0.72. According to the industry distribution chart, M&Z ranks #139 out of 280 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 49.6%.
Is M&Z's Debt-to-Equity too high?
M&Z's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.55 is 11% below median its 10-year median of 0.62. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.50 to a high of 0.72. The Retail - Defensive industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. M&Z's value of 0.55 is 0.9% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, M&Z ranks #139 out of 280 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, M&Z has a GF Score™ of 37/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does M&Z's Debt-to-Equity compare to SYY and USFD?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, M&Z ranks #139 out of 280 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This puts M&Z in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. M&Z's value of 0.55 is 0.9% below this benchmark. Historically, M&Z's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.50 to 0.72 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.62 vs. the industry median of 0.56, M&Z 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 Retail - Defensive company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Retail - Defensive companies is 0.56, based on 280 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. M&Z's current Debt-to-Equity of 0.55 is 0.9% 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 M&Z and its competitors. For the Retail - Defensive 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. M&Z's current Debt-to-Equity is 0.55, which is 11% below median its own 10-year median of 0.62. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is M&Z stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, M&Z (MAL:MZ) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €0.65, compared to a current price of €0.56 — trading 13.8% below its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 0.55, which is 11% below median its 10-year median of 0.62 and 0.9% below the Retail - Defensive industry median of 0.56. M&Z's overall GF Score™ is 37/100 with 1 warning sign 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 M&Z (MAL:MZ), the current Debt-to-Equity is 0.55 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 M&Z (MAL:MZ) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, M&Z stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €0.56 is trading 13.8% below its estimated GF Value™ of €0.65.
GuruFocus considers M&Z to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for MAL:MZ:
Debt-to-Equity: 0.55 (11% below median its 10-year median of 0.62)
GF Value™: €0.65 vs. price of €0.56 (13.8% below fair value)
Industry Position: 0.9% below the Retail - Defensive median (#139 of 280)
No single metric tells the full story. See the MAL:MZ stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
M&Z PLC is a company specializing in the sourcing, importation, distribution, and marketing (to the local consumer) of fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical non-medical products for the retail and catering industry. The food brands comprise part of the brand portfolio and can be divided into ambient, chilled, and frozen products. The cleaning products portfolio is divided into home and personal care items. Its brand includes Knorr, Lipton, Pond's, Emborg, asiago food, and others.
37GF Score
Get the complete analysis for MAL:MZ
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