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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 -2.77 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
The historical rank and industry rank for Starbucks's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:
BUE:SBUX'
s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -5.16 Med: -2.87 Max: -1.74
Current: -2.77
During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Starbucks was -1.74. The lowest was -5.16. And the median was -2.87.
Starbucks Beneish M-Score Related Terms
Starbucks Beneish M-Score Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Starbucks'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.
BUE:SBUX vs MCD, YUM, CMG: Beneish M-Score Comparison
For the Restaurants subindustry, Starbucks'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.
Starbucks Beneish M-Score vs Restaurants Industry
For the Restaurants industry and Consumer Cyclical sector, Starbucks's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Starbucks'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 Starbucks 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 * 1.004
+
0.528 * 1.1499
+
0.404 * 0.7212
+
0.892 * 1.4583
+
0.115 * 0.7992
-
0.172 * SGAI
+
4.679 * TATA
-
0.327 * LVGI
-
0.172 * 0.9607
+
4.679 * -0.07115
-
0.327 * 1.0298
=
-2.46
* 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))
=
(1646925.261 / (1646925.261 + 19495043.888))
/
(2322229.214 / (2322229.214 + 21502492.652))
=
0.077898
/
0.097471
=
0.7992
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
=
(1983804.688 - -870616.991
-
5894457.332)
/
42726874.355
=
-0.07115
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.
Starbucks has a M-score of -2.46 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
Starbucks (BUE:SBUX) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.77 as of Jul. 16, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Starbucks and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #177 out of 355 companies in the Restaurants industry, placing it in the top 49.9%.
Is Starbucks' Beneish M-Score too high?
Starbucks' current Beneish M-Score is -2.77. Based on the distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #177 out of 355 companies in the Restaurants industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Starbucks has a GF Score™ of 65/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Starbucks' Beneish M-Score compare to MCD and YUM?
According to the Restaurants industry distribution chart, Starbucks ranks #177 out of 355 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts Starbucks in the upper 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 Restaurants company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Restaurants 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 Starbucks and its competitors. Starbucks's current Beneish M-Score is -2.77. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Starbucks stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Starbucks (BUE:SBUX) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is ARS12,874.41, compared to a current price of ARS13,730.00 — trading 6.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.77. Starbucks' overall GF Score™ is 65/100 with 8 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 Starbucks (BUE:SBUX), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.77 as of Jul. 16, 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 Starbucks (BUE:SBUX) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Starbucks stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of ARS13,730.00 is trading 6.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of ARS12,874.41.
GuruFocus considers Starbucks to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for BUE:SBUX:
Beneish M-Score: -2.77
GF Value™: ARS12,874.41 vs. price of ARS13,730.00 (6.6% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the BUE:SBUX stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Starbucks stands out as the world's biggest and most recognizable coffee brand, powered by ultracustomizable beverages in-store and a sweeping footprint of nearly 41,000 cafes in over 80 countries. About 52% are company-operated, with the balance run by licensees. The company operates roasteries and sells across its North America (74% of revenue as of the end of fiscal 2025), international (21%), and channel development (5%) segments. The brand collects revenue from company-operated stores, licensee royalties, equipment and product sales, retail ready-to-drink beverages, and packaged coffee.
65GF Score
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