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WH SmithWHTPF -8.03%55 Debt-to-Equity is 8.46 as of Feb. 2026, which is 171% above its 10-year median of 3.12. GuruFocus rates WHTPF with a GF Score™ of 55/100 and a GF Value™ of $21.82. The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,019 Retail - Cyclical companies, WH Smith ranks worse than 97.74% 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 WH Smith's Debt-to-Equity or its related term are showing as below:
WHTPF'
s Debt-to-Equity Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.18 Med: 3.12 Max: 8.46
Current: 8.46
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-Equity Ratio of WH Smith was 8.46. The lowest was 0.18. And the median was 3.12.
WHTPF's Debt-to-Equity is ranked worse than 97.74% of 1019
companies
in the Retail - Cyclical industry
Industry Median: 0.56
vs WHTPF: 8.46
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.
WH Smith Debt-to-Equity Related Terms
WH Smith Debt-to-Equity Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for WH Smith'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.
WHTPF vs CASY, WSM, DKS: Debt-to-Equity Comparison
For the Specialty Retail subindustry, WH Smith'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.
WH Smith Debt-to-Equity vs Retail - Cyclical Industry
For the Retail - Cyclical industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, WH Smith's Debt-to-Equity distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where WH Smith'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.
WH Smith (WHTPF) has a Debt-to-Equity of 8.46 as of Feb. 2026. Debt-to-Equity ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total company equity. View historical data on WH Smith and its competitors. This is 171% above median its historical median of 3.12. Over the past decade, WH Smith's Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.18 to 8.46. According to the industry distribution chart, WH Smith ranks #996 out of 1019 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, placing it in the top 97.7%.
Is WH Smith's Debt-to-Equity too high?
WH Smith's current Debt-to-Equity of 8.46 is 171% above median its 10-year median of 3.12. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.18 to a high of 8.46. The Retail - Cyclical industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. WH Smith's value of 8.46 is 1410.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, WH Smith ranks #996 out of 1019 companies in the Retail - Cyclical industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, WH Smith has a GF Score™ of 55/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does WH Smith's Debt-to-Equity compare to CASY and WSM?
According to the Retail - Cyclical industry distribution chart, WH Smith ranks #996 out of 1019 companies for Debt-to-Equity. This places WH Smith in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-Equity is 0.56. WH Smith's value of 8.46 is 1410.7% above this benchmark. Historically, WH Smith's own Debt-to-Equity has ranged from 0.18 to 8.46 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 3.12 vs. the industry median of 0.56, WH Smith 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 Retail - Cyclical company?
The median Debt-to-Equity among Retail - Cyclical companies is 0.56, based on 1,019 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. WH Smith's current Debt-to-Equity of 8.46 is 1410.7% 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 WH Smith and its competitors. For the Retail - Cyclical 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. WH Smith's current Debt-to-Equity is 8.46, which is 171% above median its own 10-year median of 3.12. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is WH Smith stock overvalued right now?
WH Smith (WHTPF) has a current Debt-to-Equity of 8.46. The stock's GF Value™ is $21.82, compared to a current price of $7.44 — trading 65.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-Equity is 8.46, which is 171% above median its 10-year median of 3.12 and 1410.7% above the Retail - Cyclical industry median of 0.56. WH Smith's overall GF Score™ is 55/100 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 WH Smith (WHTPF), the current Debt-to-Equity is 8.46 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 WH Smith (WHTPF) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, WH Smith stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $7.44 is trading 65.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $21.82.
Key valuation signals for WHTPF:
Debt-to-Equity: 8.46 (171% above median its 10-year median of 3.12)
GF Value™: $21.82 vs. price of $7.44 (65.9% below fair value)
Industry Position: 1410.7% above the Retail - Cyclical median (#996 of 1019)
No single metric tells the full story. See the WHTPF stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
WH Smith PLC is a travel retailer providing travel essentials through stores in high-footfall transport hubs, operating as a pure-play travel retail business following the sale of its High Street operations. The Company offers a broad portfolio of products and services, including books and magazines, food-to-go, beverages, health and beauty items, travel and technology accessories, and selected partner services. Its operations are organised into three segments: the UK, which generates the majority of revenue and operates stores across airports, hospitals, railway stations, and service areas; North America, with stores mainly in airports and a Resorts business in Las Vegas; and the Rest of the World.
55GF Score
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