A Look Into Automatic Data Processing's Debt

Over the past three months, shares of Automatic Data Processing Inc. ADP fell by 13.48%. Before having a look at the importance of debt, let's look at how much debt Automatic Data Processing has.

Automatic Data Processing Debt

According to the Automatic Data Processing's most recent financial statement as reported on February 2, 2023, total debt is at $2.99 billion, with $2.99 billion in long-term debt and $0 in current debt. Adjusting for $1.34 billion in cash-equivalents, the company has a net debt of $1.64 billion.

Let's define some of the terms we used in the paragraph above. Current debt is the portion of a company's debt which is due within 1 year, while long-term debt is the portion due in more than 1 year. Cash equivalents includes cash and any liquid securities with maturity periods of 90 days or less. Total debt equals current debt plus long-term debt minus cash equivalents.

To understand the degree of financial leverage a company has, investors look at the debt ratio. Considering Automatic Data Processing's $54.45 billion in total assets, the debt-ratio is at 0.05. As a rule of thumb, a debt-ratio more than 1 indicates that a considerable portion of debt is funded by assets. A higher debt-ratio can also imply that the company might be putting itself at risk for default, if interest rates were to increase. However, debt-ratios vary widely across different industries. A debt ratio of 35% might be higher for one industry, but average for another.

Importance of Debt

Besides equity, debt is an important factor in the capital structure of a company, and contributes to its growth. Due to its lower financing cost compared to equity, it becomes an attractive option for executives trying to raise capital.

However, interest-payment obligations can have an adverse impact on the cash-flow of the company. Equity owners can keep excess profit, generated from the debt capital, when companies use the debt capital for its business operations.

Looking for stocks with low debt-to-equity ratios? Check out Benzinga Pro, a market research platform which provides investors with near-instantaneous access to dozens of stock metrics - including debt-to-equity ratio. Click here to learn more.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Posted In: NewsIntraday UpdateMarketsBZI-Debt
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