Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)

Debt to Equity Ratio

The debt to equity ratio remained steady at 0.06 from the first quarter of 2021 through the end of 2022, indicating a consistent low level of debt relative to equity. Starting in early 2023, the ratio declined gradually, reaching as low as 0.03 by the end of 2024, reflecting a reduction in leverage. However, a noticeable uptick occurred in mid-2025, with the ratio increasing back to 0.06, suggesting a temporary rise in debt levels relative to equity.

Debt to Equity Including Operating Lease Liability

This ratio followed a similar pattern to the debt to equity ratio but at roughly double the value, reflecting the inclusion of operating lease liabilities. It held steady around 0.10 to 0.11 through 2022. Beginning in 2023, it showed a slow decline to 0.07 by late 2024, then reversed course in mid-2025, rising again to approximately 0.09. This indicates some variability in lease liabilities or lease-related financial obligations over time.

Debt to Capital Ratio

The debt to capital ratio mirrored the trends seen in the debt to equity ratio, maintaining a stable level near 0.05 to 0.06 during 2021 and 2022, suggesting a balanced capital structure with low reliance on debt. From 2023 onward, the ratio edged downward, bottoming out near 0.03 in late 2024 before a modest recovery to 0.05 in mid-2025.

Debt to Capital Including Operating Lease Liability

This measure remained around 0.09 to 0.10 through 2022, before a gradual decline beginning in 2023, reaching approximately 0.06 by the end of 2024, consistent with the debt to equity including leases trend. A slight increase was noted again in mid-2025, rising to 0.08 to 0.09, highlighting fluctuations in capital costs involving lease obligations.

Debt to Assets Ratio

The ratio of debt to assets was stable at about 0.04 from 2021 through 2022, signaling a low proportion of debt compared to total assets. A gradual decline to 0.02 to 0.03 followed in 2023 and 2024, indicating improved asset coverage of debt. The ratio rose back to around 0.04 to 0.05 in mid-2025, suggesting a slight increase in indebtedness relative to asset base at that time.

Debt to Assets Including Operating Lease Liability

The broader measure including operating leases held steady near 0.07 through 2022 and 2023, then edged down to approximately 0.05 to 0.06 in 2024, reflecting a modest reduction in total liabilities relative to assets. A slight increase to around 0.06 to 0.07 occurred in mid-2025, indicating some increased obligations tied to leases or debt.

Financial Leverage Ratio

Financial leverage exhibited minor fluctuations within a narrow range from 1.37 to 1.45 over the entire period. This constrained variability indicates a relatively stable use of debt financing in relation to equity. No significant upward or downward trends are evident, pointing to steady capital structure management.

The financial data reveals several notable trends in the capital structure of the company over the analyzed periods.

Total Debt

The total debt exhibited relatively stable levels from 2021 through mid-2024, fluctuating between approximately $13 billion and $14.8 billion. However, significant changes occurred starting in late 2024 and into 2025, with total debt increasing sharply to reach around $23.6 billion and subsequently $21.6 billion by September 2025. This upward shift indicates a marked increase in leverage or debt-financed activities during the most recent quarters.

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders’ equity demonstrated a consistent and steady growth over the entire period. Beginning at around $230 billion in early 2021, equity increased progressively each quarter, reaching nearly $387 billion by September 2025. This upward trajectory reflects continual accumulation of retained earnings and possibly additional equity injections, indicative of a growing asset base and potentially enhanced shareholder value.

Debt to Equity Ratio

The debt to equity ratio remained low and stable from 2021 through mid-2024, mostly ranging between 0.03 and 0.06, signifying a conservative capital structure with a higher proportion of equity relative to debt. Notably, in the final two quarters of the dataset, the ratio experienced a pronounced increase to 0.07 and 0.06, correlating with the surge in total debt noted during these periods. Nevertheless, even at these elevated levels, the ratio remains relatively modest, indicating that equity continues to substantially exceed debt despite the recent rise in borrowing.

In summary, the company consistently maintained a robust equity foundation alongside moderate debt for much of the observed timeframe. The recent periods witnessed a notable increase in leverage, which could signal strategic investment activities, acquisitions, or other capital deployment initiatives financed through debt. Despite this increase, the overall debt to equity ratio remains low in absolute terms, suggesting that the company preserves a predominantly equity-financed capital structure.

The analysis of the quarterly financial data reveals noteworthy trends in the company's capital structure, particularly focusing on total debt, stockholders’ equity, and the debt-to-equity ratio over the reported periods.

Total Debt (including operating lease liability)

The total debt exhibited a generally stable pattern with minor fluctuations from March 31, 2021, through December 31, 2024, varying roughly between $23.9 billion and $27.2 billion. However, starting March 31, 2025, there is a significant increase in total debt, rising sharply to $35.6 billion in June 30, 2025, before slightly decreasing to approximately $33.7 billion by September 30, 2025.

Stockholders’ Equity

Stockholders’ equity shows a consistent upward trajectory across all quarters, increasing steadily from $230 billion at the beginning of the period to $386.9 billion by September 30, 2025. This growth reflects continuous accumulation of retained earnings and possibly additional paid-in capital or revaluation gains, indicating strengthening financial position and expanded equity base over time.

Debt to Equity Ratio (including operating lease liability)

The debt-to-equity ratio remained low and relatively stable between 0.07 and 0.11 during most quarters, generally trending downward from 0.11 in early 2021 to a low of approximately 0.07 in mid-2025, suggesting a reduced reliance on debt financing relative to equity. Despite the spike in total debt in early 2025, the ratio only slightly increased back to around 0.09 by September 30, 2025, due to the concurrently strong equity base. This indicates sustained conservative leverage management.

Overall, the company maintains a low leverage profile with a strong and growing equity base, which enhances financial stability. The sudden rise in total debt towards 2025 warrants further investigation into its causes and implications, but given the equity growth, the company’s capital structure remains robust.

Total Debt

The total debt remained relatively stable from March 2021 through June 2024, fluctuating within a narrow range between approximately $13.2 billion and $14.9 billion. This stability suggests a consistent approach to managing debt levels during this period. However, toward the end of the timeline, specifically in September and December 2025, there is a noticeable and sharp increase in total debt, rising to $23.6 billion and $21.6 billion respectively. This marked rise indicates a significant change in leverage or financing strategy during the last two quarters.

Total Capital

Total capital shows a clear upward trend over the entire period from March 2021 to December 2025. Starting at approximately $244 billion, total capital steadily increased each quarter, reaching over $408 billion by September 2025. This continuous growth in total capital suggests sustained expansion or accumulation of assets and equity, reflecting a strengthening or scaling of the company's overall financial base.

Debt to Capital Ratio

The debt to capital ratio remained consistently low and generally stable between 0.04 and 0.06 throughout most of the observed period. Initially around 0.06 in early 2021, the ratio gradually declined to about 0.03 by mid-2025, reflecting a reduction in indebtedness relative to total capital. However, similar to the spike in total debt, there is a noticeable increase in this ratio in the last two quarters of 2025, rising back to approximately 0.06 and then slightly decreasing to 0.05. This suggests that despite the growth in total capital, the proportion of debt increased significantly in late 2025.

Overall Analysis

The data indicates a stable and prudent approach to financial leverage with low debt levels relative to capital for most of the analyzed period. The company steadily increased its total capital base, indicating growth and potential increased asset acquisition or investment. The dramatic increase in total debt and the corresponding rise in the debt to capital ratio in the final two quarters signal a possible shift in financing policy, increased borrowing, or possibly preparation for significant expenditures or restructuring. This change warrants further investigation to understand the underlying causes and implications for the company's financial stability and risk profile.

Total debt (including operating lease liability)

The total debt remained relatively stable from March 2021 through December 2021, fluctuating between approximately 25.3 billion and 26.2 billion USD. From March 2022 to December 2023, total debt exhibited a slight declining trend, decreasing from around 26.2 billion to approximately 25.7 billion USD. This downward trend continued more noticeably through 2024, reaching a low point near 22.6 billion by December 2024. However, in 2025, a marked increase is observed, with total debt rising sharply to about 35.6 billion in June 2025 and then slightly declining but still remaining elevated at approximately 33.7 billion by September 2025.

Total capital (including operating lease liability)

Total capital demonstrated a consistent upward trajectory throughout the observed periods. Starting at approximately 255.3 billion USD in March 2021, total capital increased steadily each quarter, reaching about 309.1 billion by December 2023. The growth accelerated further in 2024, with total capital surpassing 338 billion in December 2024. This growth trend intensified in 2025, where total capital rose steeply to reach around 420.6 billion USD by September 2025. This suggests ongoing expansion of the company’s capital base over time.

Debt to capital (including operating lease liability)

The debt-to-capital ratio maintained a generally low and stable level, fluctuating between 0.06 and 0.1 throughout most of the observed period. From March 2021 until late 2023, the ratio hovered mostly around 0.08 to 0.10, indicating that debt represented a modest portion of total capital. During 2024, the ratio gradually declined, reaching a low of 0.06 by December 2024 and June 2025, reflecting a relative decrease in debt compared to capital expansion. In mid to late 2025, an increase in the ratio to approximately 0.08-0.09 occurred, coinciding with the noted rise in total debt, but it remained within the historical range observed. Overall, the company maintained a conservative capital structure with low leverage.

Total Debt

Total debt fluctuates moderately during the initial periods from March 2021 through December 2024, generally remaining within the range of approximately $12.3 billion to $14.8 billion. There is a noticeable downward trend starting in late 2023, with total debt decreasing from about $13.3 billion in December 2023 to approximately $10.9 billion by June 2025. However, an abrupt and significant increase occurs in September 2025, where total debt rises sharply to $23.6 billion, before decreasing somewhat to about $21.6 billion in the subsequent quarter.

Total Assets

Total assets demonstrate consistent growth throughout the entire period analyzed. From a base of roughly $327 billion in March 2021, the asset base expands steadily each quarter, reaching over $536 billion by September 2025. This continuous upward trajectory suggests ongoing investments and asset accumulation over the timeframe.

Debt to Assets Ratio

The debt to assets ratio remains relatively stable and low, fluctuating between 0.02 and 0.05 across the quarters. This indicates that the company's leverage is modest relative to its asset base. A slight decline in this ratio is visible from early 2023 through mid-2025, reflecting both the gradual reduction in total debt and the steady increase in total assets. However, the ratio spikes noticeably in September 2025, reaching 0.05, corresponding with the sharp rise in total debt observed during that quarter, before slightly declining in the following period.

Debt Trend Analysis

Over the observed periods, total debt including operating lease liability demonstrates a fluctuating trend. Initially, the debt levels ranged close to 25 billion US dollars with minor increases and decreases up to the end of 2022. A marginal decline is noticed in early 2023, followed by a more significant reduction towards the end of 2024 and early 2025. However, a notable increase occurs in mid to late 2025, where debt peaks substantially above previous levels before slightly decreasing again.

Assets Trend Analysis

Total assets display a consistent upward trajectory throughout the entire timeline. Starting from approximately 327 billion US dollars, assets steadily increase each quarter without significant decline, reaching above 536 billion US dollars by the last recorded period. This progression indicates ongoing growth in the company's asset base.

Debt to Assets Ratio Analysis

The debt-to-assets ratio remains relatively low and stable, fluctuating mainly between 0.05 and 0.08, suggesting that debt constitutes a small portion of total assets. A gradual decline in this ratio is observable from 2021 through 2024, indicating improved balance sheet strength or asset base expansion relative to debt. However, a brief increase is noted in mid-2025, corresponding with the earlier observed spike in total debt.

Summary Insights

Overall, the company maintains a conservative leverage position with debt representing a modest fraction of total assets. The steady growth in assets supports a solid financial foundation. While total debt remains stable for most of the timeframe, the sudden increase in mid to late 2025 signals either strategic borrowing or financial adjustments that warrant further attention. The decline in debt-to-assets ratio over time generally reflects sound asset growth outpacing debt accumulation, reinforcing a strong solvency profile throughout the periods analyzed.

Total Assets

The total assets demonstrate a consistent upward trend over the entire period under review. Beginning at approximately 327 billion US dollars at the end of March 2021, assets steadily increased to exceed 536 billion US dollars by the third quarter of 2025. This progression indicates sustained asset growth, with no significant declines or periods of stagnation, reflecting likely ongoing investments and asset acquisitions.

Stockholders’ Equity

Stockholders’ equity similarly shows a continuous rise throughout the timeframe. Starting at around 230 billion US dollars in March 2021, equity increased gradually to nearly 387 billion US dollars by the third quarter of 2025. The growth in equity appears steady and consistent, suggesting retention of earnings and possible capital contributions as contributing factors to this increase.

Financial Leverage

Financial leverage, defined as the ratio of total assets to stockholders’ equity, remained relatively stable over the observed quarters. The ratio fluctuated in a narrow range, primarily between 1.37 and 1.45. This stability suggests a consistent balance between debt and equity financing across the periods, with no significant shifts toward greater leverage or deleveraging. Notably, there is a slight downward trend in the ratio from around 1.43 in early 2022 to approximately 1.38 in mid-2025, which may indicate a modest reduction in reliance on debt relative to equity.