Peoples Bancorp Debt

PEBC Stock  USD 63.50  0.14  0.22%   
Peoples Bancorp's financial leverage is the degree to which the firm utilizes its fixed-income securities and uses equity to finance projects. Companies with high leverage are usually considered to be at financial risk. Peoples Bancorp's financial risk is the risk to Peoples Bancorp stockholders that is caused by an increase in debt. In other words, with a high degree of financial leverage come high-interest payments, which usually reduce Earnings Per Share (EPS).
Given that Peoples Bancorp's debt-to-equity ratio measures a Company's obligations relative to the value of its net assets, it is usually used by traders to estimate the extent to which Peoples Bancorp is acquiring new debt as a mechanism of leveraging its assets. A high debt-to-equity ratio is generally associated with increased risk, implying that it has been aggressive in financing its growth with debt. Another way to look at debt-to-equity ratios is to compare the overall debt load of Peoples Bancorp to its assets or equity, showing how much of the company assets belong to shareholders vs. creditors. If shareholders own more assets, Peoples Bancorp is said to be less leveraged. If creditors hold a majority of Peoples Bancorp's assets, the Company is said to be highly leveraged.
  
Check out the analysis of Peoples Bancorp Fundamentals Over Time.
For information on how to trade Peoples Pink Sheet refer to our How to Trade Peoples Pink Sheet guide.

Peoples Bancorp Debt to Cash Allocation

Many companies such as Peoples Bancorp, eventually find out that there is only so much market out there to be conquered, and adding the next product or service is only half as profitable per unit as their current endeavors. As growth matures, cash generation strengthens while deployment opportunities diminish. At this juncture, management may return capital to shareholders through buybacks or increased dividend payments.
Debt can assist Peoples Bancorp until it has trouble settling it off, either with new capital or with free cash flow. So, Peoples Bancorp's shareholders could walk away with nothing if the company can't fulfill its legal obligations to repay debt. However, a more frequent occurrence is when companies like Peoples Bancorp sell additional shares at bargain prices, diluting existing shareholders. Debt, in this case, can be an excellent and much better tool for Peoples to invest in growth at high rates of return. When we think about Peoples Bancorp's use of debt, we should always consider it together with cash and equity.

Peoples Bancorp Assets Financed by Debt

Elevated debt-to-asset metrics signal significant leverage in Peoples Bancorp's capital structure. Higher proportions amplify operational and financial risk exposure for Peoples Bancorp. Moreover, substantial asset financing through debt constrains borrowing flexibility and limits strategic maneuverability.

Peoples Bancorp Corporate Bonds Issued

Most Peoples bonds can be classified according to their maturity, which is the date when Peoples Bancorp has to pay back the principal to investors. Maturities can be short-term, medium-term, or long-term (more than ten years). Longer-term bonds usually offer higher interest rates but may entail additional risks.

Understaning Peoples Bancorp Use of Financial Leverage

Peoples Bancorp's financial leverage ratio helps determine the effect of debt on the overall profitability of the company. It measures Peoples Bancorp's total debt position, including all outstanding debt obligations, and compares it with Peoples Bancorp's equity. Financial leverage can amplify the potential profits to Peoples Bancorp's owners, but it also increases the potential losses and risk of financial distress, including bankruptcy, if Peoples Bancorp is unable to cover its debt costs.
Peoples Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for The Peoples Bank that provides various banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, associations, and government entities in Kent, Cecil, Queen Annes, and Talbot Counties, Maryland. Peoples Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1910 and is based in Chestertown, Maryland. People Bancorp operates under BanksRegional classification in the United States and is traded on OTC Exchange. It employs 62 people.
Please read more on our technical analysis page.

Also Currently Popular

Analyzing currently trending equities could be an opportunity to develop a better portfolio based on different market momentums that they can trigger. Utilizing the top trending stocks is also useful when creating a market-neutral strategy or pair trading technique involving a short or a long position in a currently trending equity.

Additional Information and Resources on Investing in Peoples Pink Sheet

When determining whether Peoples Bancorp offers a strong return on investment in its stock, a comprehensive analysis is essential. The process typically begins with a thorough review of Peoples Bancorp's financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, to assess its financial health. Key financial ratios are used to gauge profitability, efficiency, and growth potential of Peoples Bancorp Stock. Outlined below are crucial reports that will aid in making a well-informed decision on Peoples Bancorp Stock:
Check out the analysis of Peoples Bancorp Fundamentals Over Time.
For information on how to trade Peoples Pink Sheet refer to our How to Trade Peoples Pink Sheet guide.
You can also try the Sectors module to list of equity sectors categorizing publicly traded companies based on their primary business activities.
It's important to distinguish between Peoples Bancorp's intrinsic value and market price, which are calculated using different methodologies. Investment decisions regarding Peoples Bancorp should consider multiple factors including financial performance, growth metrics, competitive position, and professional analysis. However, Peoples Bancorp's price is the amount at which it trades on the open market and represents the number that a seller and buyer find agreeable to each party.

What is Financial Leverage?

Financial leverage is the use of borrowed money (debt) to finance the purchase of assets with the expectation that the income or capital gain from the new asset will exceed the cost of borrowing. In most cases, the debt provider will limit how much risk it is ready to take and indicate a limit on the extent of the leverage it will allow. In the case of asset-backed lending, the financial provider uses the assets as collateral until the borrower repays the loan. In the case of a cash flow loan, the general creditworthiness of the company is used to back the loan. The concept of leverage is common in the business world. It is mostly used to boost the returns on equity capital of a company, especially when the business is unable to increase its operating efficiency and returns on total investment. Because earnings on borrowing are higher than the interest payable on debt, the company's total earnings will increase, ultimately boosting stockholders' profits.

Leverage and Capital Costs

The debt to equity ratio plays a role in the working average cost of capital (WACC). The overall interest on debt represents the break-even point that must be obtained to profitability in a given venture. Thus, WACC is essentially the average interest an organization owes on the capital it has borrowed for leverage. Let's say equity represents 60% of borrowed capital, and debt is 40%. This results in a financial leverage calculation of 40/60, or 0.6667. The organization owes 10% on all equity and 5% on all debt. That means that the weighted average cost of capital is (.4)(5) + (.6)(10) - or 8%. For every $10,000 borrowed, this organization will owe $800 in interest. Profit must be higher than 8% on the project to offset the cost of interest and justify this leverage.

Benefits of Financial Leverage

Leverage provides the following benefits for companies:
  • Leverage is an essential tool a company's management can use to make the best financing and investment decisions.
  • It provides a variety of financing sources by which the firm can achieve its target earnings.
  • Leverage is also an essential technique in investing as it helps companies set a threshold for the expansion of business operations. For example, it can be used to recommend restrictions on business expansion once the projected return on additional investment is lower than the cost of debt.
By borrowing funds, the firm incurs a debt that must be paid. But, this debt is paid in small installments over a relatively long period of time. This frees funds for more immediate use in the stock market. For example, suppose a company can afford a new factory but will be left with negligible free cash. In that case, it may be better to finance the factory and spend the cash on hand on inputs, labor, or even hold a significant portion as a reserve against unforeseen circumstances.

The Risk of Financial Leverage

The most obvious and apparent risk of leverage is that if price changes unexpectedly, the leveraged position can lead to severe losses. For example, imagine a hedge fund seeded by $50 worth of investor money. The hedge fund borrows another $50 and buys an asset worth $100, leading to a leverage ratio of 2:1. For the investor, this is neither good nor bad -- until the asset price changes. If the asset price goes up 10 percent, the investor earns $10 on $50 of capital, a net gain of 20 percent, and is very pleased with the increased gains from the leverage. However, if the asset price crashes unexpectedly, say by 30 percent, the investor loses $30 on $50 of capital, suffering a 60 percent loss. In other words, the effect of leverage is to increase the volatility of returns and increase the effects of a price change on the asset to the bottom line while increasing the chance for profit as well.