The 1 Statistic Every Investor Should Be Watching Right Now

Before you go ahead thinking passive-income stocks or growth stocks like tech will suddenly turn around, consider this ratio.

| More on:

Passive-income stocks seem to be the theme of the year in 2022. That comes from two years of solid growth that, frankly, it seems investors aren’t prepared to part with. But changing over to dividend stocks doesn’t mean you’re letting go of risk.

The problem with passive-income stocks

The thing with passive-income stocks that give you high yields is that they can dish out dividends but lose income in the meantime. While this might be good for now, it could mean that these companies need to tighten their purse strings in the near future should a recession happen.

Take Suncor Energy (TSX:SU)(NYSE:SU) for example. Suncor stock used to be a prime passive-income stock. Then the pandemic hit, and the company sliced its dividend in half. This came after several years of poor performance in the oil and gas sector. So, while dividends look great, they can all go away.

Instead of eying up passive income through dividend yields, eye stability through this other statistic.

Debt to equity

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio is a great way to find out if a company will remain stable during a recession. It’s used to look at a company’s financial leverage, dividing a companies total debt by its shareholder equity. This will help you understand how much of the company is funded by debt, and whether outstanding equity could cover those outstanding debts in a downturn.

Clearly, investors want to find a company with a low D/E ratio. Ideally, you want something under one. This means for every $1 of equity, it would cover $1 of debt. Then the reverse is true. If you find higher D/E ratios, this suggests a stock is higher risk.

And this can be the case for companies and industries you would think are low risk! In the case of Suncor stock, it has a D/E of 1.17. That could mean should a crash come, they’re due to sink fast.

Something to consider

While the D/E ratio isn’t a be all, end all, it’s a great tool in your arsenal during a market correction. You want companies that can cover costs should a fall happen. The D/E ratio tells you that, straight up. And while it doesn’t mean that every stock will fall, it can tell you how much these companies are willing to take on when it comes to risk.

Suncor stock isn’t actually that bad, but a lot of this may have to do with the stock cutting its dividend to keep cash on hand. That’s a good thing. Compare that to tech stocks that have a far higher D/E ratio, like Lightspeed Commerce at six or Shopify at 11.84.

Bottom line, make sure to do your homework. Understand that those passive-income stocks could suddenly need that income should a recession happen. And that would mean all the work you did and all that investment would suddenly and shockingly go away.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Amy Legate-Wolfe has positions in Lightspeed Commerce and Shopify. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends Lightspeed Commerce.

More on Investing

investment research
Dividend Stocks

Best Stock to Buy Right Now: TD Bank vs Manulife Financial?

TD and Manulife can both be interesting stock picks for today, depending on your investment style.

Read more »

A worker gives a business presentation.
Dividend Stocks

2 Dividend Stocks to Double Up on Right Now

These stocks are out of favour but could deliver nice returns over the coming years.

Read more »

Man holds Canadian dollars in differing amounts
Dividend Stocks

This 5.5 Percent Dividend Stock Pays Cash Every Month

This defensive retail REIT could be your ticket to high monthly income.

Read more »

Confused person shrugging
Dividend Stocks

Passive Income: How Much Do You Need to Invest to Make $600 Per Month?

Do you want passive income coming in every single month? Here's how to make it and a top dividend ETF…

Read more »

Canadian Dollars bills
Dividend Stocks

3 Monthly-Paying Dividend Stocks to Boost Your Passive Income

Given their healthy cash flows and high yields, these three monthly-paying dividend stocks could boost your passive income.

Read more »

ways to boost income
Investing

Are Telus and BCE Stocks a Smart Buy for Canadian Investors?

Telus (TSX:T) and BCE (TSX:BCE) have massive dividend yields, but their shares have been quite sluggish!

Read more »

investment research
Tech Stocks

Is OpenText Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2025?

Is OpenText stock poised for a 2025 comeback? AI ambitions, a 3.8% yield, and cash flow power make it a…

Read more »

Make a choice, path to success, sign
Dividend Stocks

The TFSA Blueprint to Generate $3,695.48 in Yearly Passive Income

The blueprint to generate yearly passive income in a TFSA is to maximize the contribution limits.

Read more »