net debt

That would not impose an overall burden on a society , since net debt would remain close to zero .

If it grows even one percentage point faster than GDP in future, the effect on public-sector net debt would be huge (see chart).

To be sure, its government is a large debtor; its net debt as a share of GDP is one of the highest in the OECD.

The combined net debt of the five listed chipmakers is now three times bigger than their aggregate market capitalisation.

But since PCCW's cash pile is defraying the cost of the deal, the buyers may balk: PCCW's net debt to equity is already a heady five times.

In total, net debt (excluding shareholder loans) fell by almost half in a year, to $1. 8bn.

Its net debt is bigger as a share of GDP and it has a primary budget deficit (ie, before interest payments), whereas Italy has a surplus.

The company's ratio of net debt to equity reached 70% by the end of 2008, up from 48% the year before.

The deal values Nyfix at $144m, including net debt, and represents a 95 per cent premium to the company's closing share price on Wednesday.

As a result, you need to be suspicious of arguments that net debt ratios are more significant than gross measures.

If CSN prevails, the merged firm's combined net debt will more than double as a share of cashflow.

As much of Glencore's $14. 4bn in net debt is held in bonds, it discloses quarterly financial information to bond holders.

Conglomerates' net debt to market capitalization is at an all-time average low of 11%, according to Citi Investment Research.

Net debt was six times operating profits and some employees were "living in an illusion" , he says.

Enterprise value combined market capitalization with net debt.

Rio, which paid no interim dividend to cope with $39bn in net debt, was hit by a depressed aluminium market.

The deal will allow Rio to clear a significant amount of its $39bn net debt.

Just as significantly, Mr Marchionne announced that its net debt had fallen from $8 billion in November to $3. 8 billion.

Indeed, when net debt was less than 20% of GDP in the early 1990s, ten-year bonds yielded 7%.

The rash of leveraged buy-outs may account for as much as half of the rise in American corporate net debt since 2002.

At the end of 2005 it had net debt of Euro879m and cash of Euro1. 1 billion.

With net debt of $22bn, 3. 4 times ebitda, ArcelorMittal would be perilously close to the 3. 5 level that triggers debt covenants.

No kidding: In the IMF's tables, Norway's 'net debt' figure comes up with a big minus sign.

Q1: Why is net debt rather than gross debt the more important number to keep in mind regarding Japan's financial position?

The deal, first announced in July, should reduce net debt by 6. 8 billion euros ($8. 6 billion), the company said.

That suggests that quoted firms could further reduce their net debt from today's level of about 50% of their book equity.

Goldman estimated that net debt to equity for European companies was 54 per cent, compared with an average of 48 per cent since 1988.

When Japan's bubble economy imploded in the early 1990s, the government net debt to GDP ratio was a negligible 15 per cent.

Moreover, the UK's net debt is forecast to continue to rise thereafter. It could well hit 100 per cent of GDP.

Shareholders are arguing that a rights issue would be a better way to solve the financial problems stemming from Rio's $39bn net debt.

Another is that, unusually, the government has big offsetting financial assets that bring down net debt to a more manageable 130% of GDP.

Goldman estimated that net debt to equity for European companies was 54 per cent.

CE fell into negative shareholders' equity, while SA's net debt to equity hit 22 times.

Few miners have a more urgent need to limit discretionary outlay than Rio, where net debt of $37bn exceeds a market capitalisation of $36bn.

The IMF thinks that in all three the ratio of net debt to GDP will be lower in 2016 than today.

Japan Airlines is also struggling under Y912bn ($10bn) of net debt and still losing money.

Net debt has halved in three months.

Net debt remains stable at EUR5. 98 billion, Suez Environnement said.

Even this is too simple, once one allows for banking: Ireland's net debt was a mere 12 per cent of GDP in 2007.

The company aims to cut net debt to $10bn-$15bn in the next 18 months, down from $23bn at the end of last year.

a company with net debt to equity of about 100 per cent.

Public sector net debt would surge above the current limit of 40 per cent of national income this year, reaching 57 per cent by 2013-14.

Net debt to ebitda, at 2. 4 times, is well within covenant ceilings.

Even Portugal's net debt was 59 per cent of GDP.

Listed directories businesses will have an average of 5. 7 times net debt to ebitda this year, according to JPMorgan.

A 10% fall in the real now lightens its debt burden, lowering the ratio of net debt to GDP by 1. 3 percentage points.

The Canadian group has $3. 66bn of net debt, according to Bloomberg data.

The proceeds will slash Rio's net debt, which stood at $37. 8bn on March 31.

Net debt to GDP, for example, in Ireland is projected to be about 50 per cent next year, half the level of Greece.

Xstrata PLC reduced its net debt by 38% to $7. 64 billion from $12. 3 billion.

Net debt fell to 5. 9 billion euros as of June 30 from 6. 1 billion euros at the end of last year.

Because of this gigantic deficit, our country's "net debt" (that is, the amount held publicly) is mushrooming.

Excluding the banking bail-outs, public-sector net debt now stands at 40. 4% of GDP;

Net debt to equity ratio