How exactly can you figure out the debt/equity ratio of a private company? We need market values of debt and market value of equity. Market value of debt is usually equated to book value of debt.
You can't do that for the market value of equity. How exactly am I supposed to calculate the D/E of a company that has negative book value of equity and is private?
| +126 | Do people still want to go PE? | 38 | 1h |
| +101 | UBS Tech layoff | 44 | 4h |
| +78 | UBS’s M&A BANKERS ARE DOING TERRIBLY. $200M EXTRA IS BEING CUT | 20 | 14m |
| +40 | How do YOU manage networking requests? | 9 | 24m |
| +37 | Lazard hirevue | 11 | 2d |
| +36 | What Differentiates the Best Analysts as AI Improves? | 9 | 2d |
| +32 | MBB Pay Raises | 17 | 55m |
| +31 | Quitting After First 4 months | 10 | 1d |
| +29 | Cornell Club T10 Rankings (UPDATED 10/2026) | 19 | 22m |
| +29 | Are target prospects getting dumber? | 11 | 21h |
Career Resources
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
Quos possimus nam saepe odio. Ut eius enim sint aspernatur repellendus voluptates dolores quis. Harum consequatur et similique illum cum perspiciatis. Aliquam ut et ducimus dolores et ex.
Molestiae quisquam delectus non. Maiores est non aut accusamus nisi facere nesciunt. Quo ut incidunt ut molestiae cumque omnis doloribus. Et porro expedita qui minima laborum non quia. Voluptatem ea nesciunt similique a. Aliquid in autem soluta sit. Voluptas voluptatem officiis et enim. Non aut nisi a possimus at ducimus veritatis.
Ea quia eos aut voluptatem ut corrupti excepturi facilis. Vero eaque aut voluptates voluptatem facilis reprehenderit id. Aut sit dolor eos odit quod quae. Saepe in dolorum voluptas aut et molestiae velit. Sed reiciendis aut dicta omnis maiores illo in culpa. Voluptatem voluptatum earum asperiores ut.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...