15 Companies With Zero Debt

Throughout the financial crisis, large debt loads weighed on company balance sheets and had serious implications for the firms that let their borrowing get out of control.

Other companies, however, have a history of operating with low debt levels, and many choose to issue no debt at all. Instead of debt, these companies hold cash and short-term, highly liquid assets in order to make acquisitions, run day-to-day operations and fund other investments for future growth.

According to the latest quarterly filings, only 24 companies in the S&P 500 reported having zero debt on their balance sheets. Of these companies, CNBC’s analytics team selected the ones with the largest amount of cash and short-term investments as a percent of total assets.

So, which S&P 500 companies are debt free and cash rich? Click ahead to find out.

By Giovanny Moreano&Paul Toscano
Posted 24 July 2012

Note: Total debt includes the sum of short-term borrowings, current portion of long-term debt, current portion of capital leases, long-term debt, capital leases, current finance division debt and non-current finance division debt, but does not include all possible liabilities. Cash holdings do not include long-term investments.

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $28.15 billion

Total assets: $151.8 billion
Cash as % of assets: 18.5%

1-year stock performance: +14%

See AXP Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $28.5 billion

Total assets: $150.9 billion
Cash as % of assets: 18.9%

1-year stock performance: 62%

See AAPL Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $867 million

Total assets: $4.15 billion
Cash as % of assets: 20.9%

1-year stock performance: +8%

See CTXS Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $623 million

Total assets: $2.37 billion
Cash as % of assets: 26.3%

1-year stock performance: -9%

See LSI Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $490 million

Total assets: $1.76 billion
Cash as % of assets: 27.8%

1-year stock performance: -12%

See FFIV Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $5,715 million

Total assets: $20.34 billion
Cash as % of assets: 28.1%

1-year stock performance: 3%

See AMZN Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $1.69 billion

Total assets: $5.82 billion
Cash as % of assets: 29.0%

1-year stock performance: +5%

See BBBY Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $1.19 billion

Total assets: $4.08 billion
Cash as % of assets: 29.1%

1-year stock performance: +10%

See TROW Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $917 million

Total assets: $3.33 billion
Cash as % of assets: 29.13%

1-year stock performance: 52%

See ISRG Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $2.43 billion

Total assets: $7.49 billion
Cash as % of assets: 32.4%

1-year stock performance: -6%

See FRX Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $819 million

Total assets: $2.49 billion
Cash as % of assets: 33%

1-year stock performance: 25%

See RHT Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $2.49 billion

Total assets: $5.67 billion
Cash as % of assets: 44%

1-year stock performance: -18%

See CTSH Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $1.51 billion

Total assets: $3.32 billion
Cash as % of assets: 45.6%

1-year stock performance: -9%

See ADSK Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $5.18 billion

Total assets: $11.13 billion
Cash as % of assets: 46.5%

1-year stock performance: 42%

See MA Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data

Total debt: $0
Cash & ST investments: $1.43 billion

Total assets: $3.01 billion
Cash as % of assets: 47.6%

1-year stock performance: -21%

See EXPD Real-Time Quote and Full Financial Data