What does a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67 indicate?

A debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67 signifies that for every dollar of equity, the hospital has 67 cents of debt. This means that while the hospital does utilize debt, it relies less on debt compared to the equity it has. A ratio below 1 indicates that the entity has a lower proportion of debt in relation to its equity, suggesting a more conservative financial structure rather than being heavily dependent on debt for funding. It reflects a balance where equity constitutes a significant part of the financing, although there is still noticeable leverage through debt.

This ratio helps in assessing the financial leverage and risk of the hospital. Lower ratios often imply that the hospital is less risky in terms of insolvency as compared to entities with higher ratios, which would suggest a greater reliance on debt funding. Understanding this ratio is vital for anyone analyzing the financial health of a healthcare organization.