ABCB (Ameris Bancorp) Beneish M-Score: -2.88 (As of Sep. 04, 2026)

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ABCB Ameris Bancorp ABCB
60 GF Score
Price $85.83
GF Value $74.36
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 7 Warning Signs
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What is Ameris Bancorp Beneish M-Score?

Ameris Bancorp ABCB +1.01% 60 Beneish M-Score is -2.88 as of Sep. 04, 2026. GuruFocus rates ABCB with a GF Score™ of 60/100 and a GF Value™ of $74.36 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,388 Banks companies, Ameris Bancorp ranks better than 90.78% on this metric.

Note: Financial institutions were excluded from the sample in Beneish paper when calculating Beneish M-Score. Thus, the prediction might not fit banks and insurance companies.

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 -2.88 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

The historical rank and industry rank for Ameris Bancorp's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:

ABCB' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -4.37   Med: -2.33   Max: -1.74
Current: -2.88

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Ameris Bancorp was -1.74. The lowest was -4.37. And the median was -2.33.

ABCB
60GF Score
Ameris Bancorp ABCB
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Ameris Bancorp Beneish M-Score Calculation

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 Ameris Bancorp 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+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1.0002+0.892 * 1.0913+0.115 * 1.3297
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9099+4.679 * -0.006045-0.327 * 2.5438
=-2.88

* 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.

This Year (Jun26) TTM:Last Year (Jun25) TTM:
Total Receivables was $0 Mil.
Revenue was 318.013 + 306.467 + 298.914 + 305.326 = $1,229 Mil.
Gross Profit was 318.013 + 306.467 + 298.914 + 305.326 = $1,229 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0 Mil.
Total Assets was $28,489 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $221 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $33 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $385 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $1,385 Mil.
Net Income was 51.446 + 110.492 + 108.356 + 106.029 = $376 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = $0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 79.42 + 257.149 + 107.039 + 104.92 = $549 Mil.
 Total Receivables was $0 Mil.
Revenue was 292.17 + 277.274 + 281.209 + 275.253 = $1,126 Mil.
Gross Profit was 292.17 + 277.274 + 281.209 + 275.253 = $1,126 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0 Mil.
Total Assets was $26,680 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $211 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $44 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $387 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $510 Mil.

1. DSRI = Days Sales in Receivables Index

Measured as the ratio of Revenue in Total Receivables in year t to year t-1.

A large increase in DSR could be indicative of revenue inflation.

DSRI=(Receivables_t / Revenue_t) / (Receivables_t-1 / Revenue_t-1)
=(0 / 1228.72) / (0 / 1125.906)
=0 / 0
=1

2. GMI = Gross Margin Index

Measured as the ratio of gross margin in year t-1 to gross margin in year t.

Gross margin has deteriorated when this index is above 1. A firm with poorer prospects is more likely to manipulate earnings.

GMI=GrossMargin_t-1 / GrossMargin_t
=(GrossProfit_t-1 / Revenue_t-1) / (GrossProfit_t / Revenue_t)
=(1125.906 / 1125.906) / (1228.72 / 1228.72)
=1 / 1
=1

3. AQI = Asset Quality Index

AQI is the ratio of asset quality in year t to year t-1.

Asset quality is measured as the ratio of non-current assets other than Property, Plant and Equipment to Total Assets.

AQI=(1 - (CurrentAssets_t + PPE_t) / TotalAssets_t) / (1 - (CurrentAssets_t-1 + PPE_t-1) / TotalAssets_t-1)
=(1 - (0 + 220.5) / 28488.843) / (1 - (0 + 211.434) / 26680.153)
=0.99226 / 0.992075
=1.0002

4. SGI = Sales Growth Index

Ratio of Revenue in year t to sales in year t-1.

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.

SGI=Sales_t / Sales_t-1
=Revenue_t / Revenue_t-1
=1228.72 / 1125.906
=1.0913

5. DEPI = Depreciation Index

Measured as the ratio of the rate of Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization in year t-1 to the corresponding rate in year t.

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))
=(44.312 / (44.312 + 211.434)) / (33.036 / (33.036 + 220.5))
=0.173266 / 0.130301
=1.3297

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

The ratio of Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) to Sales in year t relative to year t-1.

SGA expenses index > 1 means that the company is becoming less efficient in generate sales.

SGAI=(SGA_t / Sales_t) / (SGA_t-1 /Sales_t-1)
=(384.506 / 1228.72) / (387.237 / 1125.906)
=0.312932 / 0.343934
=0.9099

7. LVGI = Leverage Index

The ratio of total debt to Total Assets in year t relative to yeat t-1.

An LVGI > 1 indicates an increase in leverage

LVGI=((LTD_t + CurrentLiabilities_t) / TotalAssets_t) / ((LTD_t-1 + CurrentLiabilities_t-1) / TotalAssets_t-1)
=((1385.348 + 0) / 28488.843) / ((510.006 + 0) / 26680.153)
=0.048628 / 0.019116
=2.5438

8. TATA = Total Accruals to Total Assets

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
=(376.323 - 0 - 548.528) / 28488.843
=-0.006045

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.

Ameris Bancorp has a M-score of -2.88 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Beneish M-Score →
What does a Beneish M-Score of -2.88 mean?
Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.88 as of Sep. 04, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Ameris Bancorp and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Ameris Bancorp ranks #128 out of 1388 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 9.2%.
Is Ameris Bancorp's Beneish M-Score too high?
Ameris Bancorp's current Beneish M-Score is -2.88. Based on the distribution chart, Ameris Bancorp ranks #128 out of 1388 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Ameris Bancorp has a GF Score™ of 60/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ameris Bancorp's Beneish M-Score compare to AUB and ASB?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, Ameris Bancorp ranks #128 out of 1388 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Ameris Bancorp in the top 9% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. 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 Banks company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Banks 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 Ameris Bancorp and its competitors. Ameris Bancorp's current Beneish M-Score is -2.88. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ameris Bancorp stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $74.36, compared to a current price of $85.83 — trading 15.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.88. Ameris Bancorp's overall GF Score™ is 60/100 with 7 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 Ameris Bancorp (ABCB), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.88 as of Sep. 04, 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 Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ameris Bancorp stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $85.83 is trading 15.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $74.36. GuruFocus considers Ameris Bancorp to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for ABCB:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.88
  • GF Value™: $74.36 vs. price of $85.83 (15.4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 60/100 with 7 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the ABCB stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Ameris Bancorp Business Description

Other Exchanges AXU:Germany
Address 3490 Piedmont Road North East, Suite 1550, Atlanta, GA, USA, 30305
Ameris Bancorp is a bank holding company that operates through Ameris Bank, its subsidiary. The company operates branches in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and South Carolina. It offers traditional banking services such as business banking, personal banking, checking, savings, mobile banking, and others. The bank is organized into four segments: the Banking Division, the Retail Mortgage Division, the Warehouse Lending Division and the Premium Finance Division. The company generates majority of its revenue from the banking division. The company intends to acquire banks in its geographic region to increase its market share and expand beyond its current market.
60GF Score

Get the complete analysis for ABCB

Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$85.83
Price
$74.36
GF Value