How is combined leverage measured?
Mia Ramsey
Published Feb 19, 2026
In general terms, the degree of combined leverage can be calculated as the percentage change in sales over the percentage change in EPS. It can be alternatively defined as the combined effect of degree of operating leverage (DOL) and degree of financial leverage (DFL).
Is degree of operating leverage a percentage?
Operating leverage measures a company’s fixed as a percentage of its total costs. It is used to evaluate the breakeven point for a business—which is where sales are high enough to pay for all costs, and the profit is zero.
How is the degree of total leverage measured?
Degree of total leverage is the ratio of percentage change in earnings per share to percentage change in sales revenue. Degree of total leverage is the combined effect of both fixed operating costs and fixed financial costs.
Can degree of combined leverage be negative?
Negative DFL values will range from -∝ to 0. It should also be noted that if operating profits are negative, DFL will be reported as negative irrespective of the value of I. Combined (or total) risk, the product of its business and financial risks, can be measured by its degree of combined leverage (DCL).
Is financial leverage a percentage?
The degree of financial leverage (DFL) measures the percentage change in EPS for a unit change in operating income, also known as earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). This ratio indicates that the higher the degree of financial leverage, the more volatile earnings will be.
How do you calculate break-even point with example?
Break-Even point (Units)= Fixed Costs ÷ (Revenue per Unit – Variable Cost per Unit). Fixed costs are expenses that do not change irrespective of the number of units sold. Revenue is the price for which products are sold minus variable costs like materials, labour, etc.
What is considered a good financial leverage ratio?
A figure of 0.5 or less is ideal. In other words, no more than half of the company’s assets should be financed by debt. In reality, many investors tolerate significantly higher ratios. In other words, a debt ratio of 0.5 will necessarily mean a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.