A leverage ratio is any kind of financial ratio that indicates the level of debt incurred by a business entity against several other accounts in its balance sheet, income statement, or cash flow statement. These ratios provide an indication of how the company’s assets and business operations are financed (using debt or equity). Two common leverage ratios are: debt/equity and debt/capital
Leverage ratios represent the extent to which a business is utilizing borrowed money. It also evaluates company solvency and capital structure. Having high leverage in a firm’s capital structure can be risky, but it also provides benefits