Latest Ratios: P/E Ratio 3.9x · EV/EBITDA 3.7x · ROE 25.5%. (2006–2025 historical series)
Price-based multiples — how expensive the stock is relative to earnings, sales, book value, and cash flow
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $1.6B | $1.3B | $777M | $712M | $619M | $813M | $214M | $107M | $37M | $64M | $83M |
| Enterprise Value | $2.0B | $1.6B | $1.3B | $1.4B | $1.5B | $2.0B | $902M | $866M | $832M | $389M | $449M |
| P/E Ratio → | 3.91 | 3.07 | 2.25 | 2.41 | 2.19 | 4.98 | 5.15 | 6.09 | — | — | — |
| P/S Ratio | 2.09 | 1.63 | 1.10 | 1.07 | 1.02 | 2.02 | 0.76 | 0.41 | 0.23 | 0.40 | 0.50 |
| P/B Ratio | 0.88 | 0.69 | 0.53 | 0.60 | 0.64 | 1.14 | 0.46 | 0.26 | 0.12 | 0.26 | 0.25 |
| P/FCF | 4.45 | 3.48 | 4.14 | 3.20 | 1.95 | — | 3.69 | — | 1.10 | 1.21 | 1.29 |
| P/OCF | 3.03 | 2.37 | 1.81 | 1.90 | 1.89 | 3.28 | 2.05 | 1.15 | 0.77 | 1.11 | 1.16 |
P/E links to full P/E history page with 30-year chart
Enterprise-value multiples — capital-structure-neutral measures of total business value
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV / Revenue | — | 2.11 | 1.87 | 2.08 | 2.43 | 4.96 | 3.20 | 3.32 | 5.30 | 2.45 | 2.69 |
| EV / EBITDA | 3.75 | 3.08 | 2.75 | 3.19 | 3.37 | 6.67 | 5.94 | 5.50 | 33.02 | 17.19 | 20.09 |
| EV / EBIT | 5.05 | 3.55 | 3.35 | 3.96 | 3.99 | 8.29 | 8.43 | 7.54 | — | — | — |
| EV / FCF | — | 4.50 | 7.03 | 6.23 | 4.61 | — | 15.55 | — | 24.89 | 7.36 | 6.98 |
Margins and return-on-capital ratios measuring operating efficiency
Full margin charts and quarterly trend are on the Earnings History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Margin | 53.6% | 53.6% | 55.4% | 55.8% | 55.4% | 49.1% | 43.0% | 46.1% | 45.1% | 48.8% | 46.9% |
| Operating Margin | 50.7% | 50.7% | 53.7% | 51.5% | 58.6% | 59.0% | 37.1% | 42.7% | -6.5% | -9.6% | -12.3% |
| Net Profit Margin | 54.3% | 54.3% | 50.1% | 45.7% | 48.5% | 42.6% | 14.7% | 15.3% | -36.5% | -46.7% | -39.1% |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE | 25.5% | 25.5% | 26.7% | 28.3% | 34.9% | 29.1% | 9.5% | 11.0% | -20.2% | -25.6% | -17.9% |
| ROA | 15.9% | 15.9% | 15.6% | 14.2% | 14.3% | 10.5% | 3.2% | 3.1% | -6.0% | -10.2% | -7.7% |
| ROIC | 14.0% | 14.0% | 14.7% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 11.7% | 6.8% | 7.4% | -0.9% | -1.8% | -2.0% |
| ROCE | 16.7% | 16.7% | 19.0% | 18.4% | 19.7% | 16.3% | 8.8% | 9.5% | -1.2% | -2.3% | -2.6% |
Solvency and debt-coverage ratios — lower is generally safer
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt / Equity | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.47 | 0.69 | 1.00 | 1.75 | 1.66 | 2.21 | 2.77 | 1.58 | 1.28 |
| Debt / EBITDA | 1.31 | 1.31 | 1.43 | 1.87 | 2.22 | 4.18 | 5.07 | 5.70 | 34.82 | 17.59 | 18.81 |
| Net Debt / Equity | — | 0.20 | 0.37 | 0.57 | 0.88 | 1.66 | 1.48 | 1.87 | 2.51 | 1.29 | 1.11 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.70 | 0.70 | 1.13 | 1.55 | 1.95 | 3.95 | 4.53 | 4.82 | 31.56 | 14.36 | 16.38 |
| Debt / FCF | — | 1.01 | 2.89 | 3.03 | 2.67 | — | 11.86 | — | 23.79 | 6.14 | 5.69 |
| Interest Coverage | 11.69 | 11.69 | 9.69 | 7.80 | 4.89 | 3.48 | 1.64 | 1.53 | -0.18 | -0.25 | -0.45 |
Short-term solvency ratios and asset-utilisation metrics
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio | 2.04 | 2.04 | 1.14 | 1.05 | 0.91 | 0.59 | 0.88 | 1.25 | 1.04 | 1.36 | 1.19 |
| Quick Ratio | 2.00 | 2.00 | 1.07 | 1.00 | 0.86 | 0.54 | 0.82 | 1.21 | 0.98 | 1.34 | 1.18 |
| Cash Ratio | 1.71 | 1.71 | 0.63 | 0.54 | 0.49 | 0.31 | 0.73 | 1.07 | 0.86 | 1.28 | 1.13 |
| Asset Turnover | — | 0.27 | 0.30 | 0.31 | 0.29 | 0.20 | 0.22 | 0.19 | 0.13 | 0.24 | 0.21 |
| Inventory Turnover | 24.35 | 24.35 | 16.65 | 18.68 | 22.06 | 17.96 | 25.49 | 25.15 | 14.96 | 109.75 | 160.04 |
| Days Sales Outstanding | — | 23.83 | 6.64 | 2.94 | 2.63 | 5.55 | 6.16 | 11.07 | 10.47 | 5.40 | 2.16 |
Earnings, FCF, buyback, and dividend yields — total returns to shareholders
Full dividend history and growth charts are on the Dividend History page
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 4.8% | 6.1% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 8.2% | 3.4% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 8.3% | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Payout Ratio | 18.3% | 18.3% | 16.5% | 17.5% | 17.2% | 16.3% | — | — | — | — | — |
| Metric | TTM | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 | FY 2018 | FY 2017 | FY 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earnings Yield | 25.6% | 32.5% | 44.5% | 41.4% | 45.8% | 20.1% | 19.4% | 16.4% | — | — | — |
| FCF Yield | 22.5% | 28.7% | 24.2% | 31.3% | 51.4% | — | 27.1% | — | 90.6% | 82.4% | 77.5% |
| Buyback Yield | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Total Shareholder Yield | 4.8% | 6.1% | 8.2% | 10.6% | 11.4% | 4.7% | 1.9% | 2.9% | 8.3% | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Shares Outstanding | — | $36M | $36M | $36M | $37M | $36M | $18M | $12M | $7M | $7M | $7M |
Includes 30+ ratios · 20 years · Updated daily
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Quick answers to the most common questions about buying GSL stock.
Global Ship Lease, Inc.'s current P/E ratio is 3.9x. The historical average is 6.8x. This places it at the 50th percentile of its historical range.
Global Ship Lease, Inc.'s current EV/EBITDA is 3.7x. This enterprise value multiple compares the company's total value (equity + debt - cash) to its EBITDA. The historical average is 8.7x.
Global Ship Lease, Inc.'s return on equity (ROE) is 25.5%. This is above the typical threshold of 15-20% considered good for most companies. The historical average is 7.1%.
Based on historical data, Global Ship Lease, Inc. is trading at a P/E of 3.9x. This is at the 50th percentile of its historical P/E range. Compare with industry peers and growth rates for a complete picture.
Global Ship Lease, Inc.'s current dividend yield is 4.78% with a payout ratio of 18.3%.
Global Ship Lease, Inc. has 53.6% gross margin and 50.7% operating margin. Operating margin above 20% indicates strong pricing power and cost efficiency.
Global Ship Lease, Inc.'s Debt/EBITDA ratio is 1.3x, indicating moderate leverage. A ratio below 2x is generally considered financially healthy.
Key Metrics
Top Statement Risk
Fleet age and environmental compliance costs
Deep Value Pricing Amidst Cyclical Discount
GSL trades at a P/E of 3.91 and EV/EBITDA of 3.75, multiples that appear to deeply discount its stable, contracted cash flows and fortress balance sheet relative to peers like Danaos (P/E 5.63).
The valuation multiples suggest the market is pricing GSL for a severe earnings contraction or significant re-chartering risk, which is not yet evident in its contracted backlog. The PEG ratio of 0.10 indicates the stock is priced for minimal growth, creating a potential disconnect with the company's stable revenue trajectory. This discount may present an opportunity if the market is misapplying a generic shipping cycle valuation to a specialty finance model with locked-in cash flows.
Margin Erosion Signals Cost Pressure
GSL's gross margin has compressed from 56.9% in 2024Q1 to 49.2% in 2026Q2, a trend that appears to indicate vessel operating expenses are outpacing the fixed escalators embedded in its long-term charter agreements.
The consistent decline in both gross and operating margins over eight quarters suggests a structural, not cyclical, pressure on the cost base. While the net margin remains high at 47.7%, the prior analysis flagged that non-operating gains are inflating this figure, masking the underlying erosion in core operational profitability. Investors should monitor whether this margin trajectory begins to impair the company's ability to generate returns on its fleet investments.
Declining Returns on Invested Capital
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) has trended downward from 4.0% in 2024Q1 to 3.0% in 2026Q2, suggesting the company's capital efficiency is deteriorating as its asset base grows faster than its earnings power.
This decline in ROIC, coupled with a falling ROE from 7.5% to 4.8% over the same period, indicates that recent capital deployments are not generating returns commensurate with the company's historical performance. The trend warrants investigation into whether new vessel acquisitions are being secured at less favorable rates or if the rising cost structure is compressing returns across the fleet. A sustained decline would challenge the investment thesis of GSL as a high-return compounder.
Fortress Balance Sheet Provides Optionality
With a debt-to-equity ratio of just 0.35 and interest coverage of 10.71x, GSL maintains one of the strongest balance sheets in the containership leasing sector, providing significant strategic and financial flexibility.
The low leverage profile, which has improved from 0.61 in 2024Q1, appears to be a deliberate strategic choice that minimizes refinancing risk and positions the company to act opportunistically. This financial strength is a key differentiator from more leveraged peers like Costamare (D/E 0.70) and should provide a cushion against potential counterparty stress or a prolonged industry downturn. The primary risk is that this conservative posture may limit shareholder returns if the capital is not deployed effectively.
The Misapplied Net Margin Metric
The net margin of 47.7% is the ratio most commonly misapplied to GSL, as it is inflated by non-operating gains and does not reflect the core, recurring profitability of its time-charter business model.
Analysts often focus on the headline net margin, but for GSL, this metric is distorted by items like gains on vessel sales and derivative adjustments, as evidenced by net income exceeding operating income in prior quarters. A more accurate measure of core earning power is the operating margin, which at 45.5% better reflects the sustainable profitability from its contracted charter revenues. Relying on net margin can lead to an overestimation of earnings quality and a misunderstanding of the business's true cash-generating ability.