The zones of discrimination for M-Score is as such:
An M-Score of equal or less than -1.78 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
An M-Score of greater than -1.78 signals that the company is likely to be a manipulator.
Good Sign:
Beneish M-Score -2.56 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
The historical rank and industry rank for Delta Air Lines's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:
DAL'
s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.47 Med: -2.71 Max: 10.36
Current: -2.56
During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Delta Air Lines was 10.36. The lowest was -4.47. And the median was -2.71.
Delta Air Lines Beneish M-Score Related Terms
Delta Air Lines Beneish M-Score Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Delta Air Lines's Beneish M-Score can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
For the Airlines subindustry, Delta Air Lines's Beneish M-Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Beneish M-Score data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Delta Air Lines Beneish M-Score vs Transportation Industry
For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, Delta Air Lines's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Delta Air Lines's Beneish M-Score falls into.
The M-score was created by Professor Messod Beneish. Instead of measuring the bankruptcy risk (Altman Z-Score) or business trend (Piotroski F-Score), M-score can be used to detect the risk of earnings manipulation. This is the original research paper on M-score.
The M-Score Variables:
The M-score of Delta Air Lines for today is based on a combination of the following eight different indices:
M
=
-4.84
+
0.92 * DSRI
+
0.528 * GMI
+
0.404 * AQI
+
0.892 * SGI
+
0.115 * DEPI
=
-4.84
+
0.92 * 1.0642
+
0.528 * 1.0533
+
0.404 * 1.0228
+
0.892 * 1.0524
+
0.115 * 1
-
0.172 * SGAI
+
4.679 * TATA
-
0.327 * LVGI
-
0.172 * 0.9644
+
4.679 * -0.052907
-
0.327 * 0.9309
=
-2.56
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Sales growth is not itself a measure of manipulation. However, growth companies are likely to find themselves under pressure to manipulate in order to keep up appearances.
DEPI greater than 1 indicates that assets are being depreciated at a slower rate. This suggests that the firm might be revising useful asset life assumptions upwards, or adopting a new method that is income friendly.
DEPI
=
(Depreciation_t-1 / (Depreciaton_t-1 + PPE_t-1))
/
(Depreciation_t / (Depreciaton_t + PPE_t))
=
(0 / (0 + 44713))
/
(635 / (635 + 46882))
=
0
/
0.013364
=
1
Note: If the Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization data is not available, we assume that the depreciation rate is constant and set the Depreciation Index to 1.
6. SGAI = Sales, General and Administrative expenses Index
Total accruals calculated as the change in working capital accounts other than cash less depreciation.
TATA
=
(IncomefromContinuingOperations_t
-
CashFlowsfromOperations_t)
/
TotalAssets_t
=
(NetIncome_t - NonOperatingIncome_t
-
CashFlowsfromOperations_t)
/
TotalAssets_t
=
(4477 - 548
-
8396)
/
84431
=
-0.052907
An M-Score of equal or less than -1.78 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator. An M-Score of greater than -1.78 signals that the company is likely to be a manipulator.
Delta Air Lines has a M-score of -2.56 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
Delta Air Lines (DAL) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.56 as of Jun. 24, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Delta Air Lines and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Delta Air Lines ranks #508 out of 966 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 52.6%.
Is Delta Air Lines' Beneish M-Score too high?
Delta Air Lines' current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Based on the distribution chart, Delta Air Lines ranks #508 out of 966 companies in the Transportation industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Delta Air Lines has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Delta Air Lines' Beneish M-Score compare to UAL and LUV?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, Delta Air Lines ranks #508 out of 966 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Delta Air Lines in the lower half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Beneish M-Score for a Transportation company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Transportation industry context. However, Beneish M-Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Beneish M-Score mean?
A high Beneish M-Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Delta Air Lines and its competitors. Delta Air Lines's current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Delta Air Lines stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Delta Air Lines (DAL) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $54.11, compared to a current price of $90.65 — trading 67.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Delta Air Lines' overall GF Score™ is 79/100 with 10 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Beneish M-Score calculated?
Beneish M-Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Delta Air Lines (DAL), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.56 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Delta Air Lines (DAL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Delta Air Lines stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $90.65 is trading 67.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of $54.11.
GuruFocus considers Delta Air Lines to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for DAL:
Beneish M-Score: -2.56
GF Value™: $54.11 vs. price of $90.65 (67.5% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the DAL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is one of the world's largest airlines, with a network of over 300 destinations in more than 50 countries. Delta operates a hub-and-spoke network, where it gathers and distributes passengers across the globe through its biggest hubs in Atlanta, New York, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Seattle, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Delta has historically earned most of its international revenue and profits from flying passengers over the Atlantic Ocean.
79GF Score
Get the complete analysis for DAL
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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