Apple (CHIX:APCD) Beneish M-Score: -2.61 (As of Jun. 26, 2026)


CHIX:APCD Apple Inc CHIX:APCD
91 GF Score
Price €259.15
GF Value €250.78
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 1 Warning Sign
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What is Apple Beneish M-Score?

Apple CHIX:APCD 91 Beneish M-Score is -2.61 as of Jun. 26, 2026. GuruFocus rates CHIX:APCD with a GF Score™ of 91/100 and a GF Value™ of €250.78 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 2,404 Hardware companies, Apple ranks better than 61.69% on this metric.

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 -2.61 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

CHIX:APCd' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.99   Med: -2.62   Max: -2
Current: -2.61

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Apple was -2.00. The lowest was -2.99. And the median was -2.62.


Apple Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Apple'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.

Apple Beneish M-Score Chart

Apple Annual Data
Trend Sep16 Sep17 Sep18 Sep19 Sep20 Sep21 Sep22 Sep23 Sep24 Sep25
Beneish M-Score
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -2.25 -2.66 -2.66 -2.77 -2.37

Apple Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Beneish M-Score Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -2.48 -2.54 -2.37 -2.54 -2.61

CHIX:APCD vs SONO, VUZI, TBCH: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Consumer Electronics subindustry, Apple'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.


Apple Beneish M-Score vs Hardware Industry

For the Hardware industry and Technology sector, Apple's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Apple's Beneish M-Score falls into.


CHIX:APCD
91GF Score
Apple Inc CHIX:APCD
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Apple 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 Apple 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 * 0.9643+0.528 * 0.9744+0.404 * 0.9528+0.892 * 1.042+0.115 * 0.9877
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9524+4.679 * -0.047884-0.327 * 0.8362
=-2.67

* 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 (Mar26) TTM:Last Year (Mar25) TTM:
Total Receivables was €46,287 Mil.
Revenue was 96174.16 + 122767.624 + 87301.032 + 81529.212 = €387,772 Mil.
Gross Profit was 47385.565 + 59123.274 + 41186.532 + 37903.506 = €185,599 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €124,659 Mil.
Total Assets was €320,986 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €43,350 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €10,837 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €24,636 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €116,464 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €64,359 Mil.
Net Income was 25584.97 + 35950.838 + 23401.032 + 20317.278 = €105,254 Mil.
Non Operating Income was -44.98 + 128.1 + 321.204 + -148.257 = €256 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 24827.23 + 46051.95 + 25328.256 + 24160.689 = €120,368 Mil.
Total Receivables was €46,063 Mil.
Revenue was 88207.075 + 118706.5 + 85531.93 + 79686.833 = €372,132 Mil.
Gross Profit was 41501.975 + 55652.625 + 39534.979 + 36860.862 = €173,550 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €109,773 Mil.
Total Assets was €306,391 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €43,360 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €10,673 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €24,824 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €133,728 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €72,674 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)
=(46287.015 / 387772.028) / (46063.15 / 372132.338)
=0.119367 / 0.123782
=0.9643

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)
=(173550.441 / 372132.338) / (185598.877 / 387772.028)
=0.466368 / 0.478629
=0.9744

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 - (124658.61 + 43350.34) / 320985.93) / (1 - (109773.45 + 43360.3) / 306390.525)
=0.476585 / 0.500201
=0.9528

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
=387772.028 / 372132.338
=1.042

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))
=(10673.286 / (10673.286 + 43360.3)) / (10837.305 / (10837.305 + 43350.34))
=0.197531 / 0.199996
=0.9877

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)
=(24636.219 / 387772.028) / (24824.028 / 372132.338)
=0.063533 / 0.066708
=0.9524

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)
=((64359.46 + 116464.465) / 320985.93) / ((72673.55 + 133728.175) / 306390.525)
=0.563339 / 0.673656
=0.8362

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
=(105254.118 - 256.067 - 120368.125) / 320985.93
=-0.047884

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.

Apple has a M-score of -2.67 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 -2.61 mean?
Apple (CHIX:APCD) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.61 as of Jun. 26, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Apple and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Apple ranks #921 out of 2404 companies in the Hardware industry, placing it in the top 38.3%.
Is Apple's Beneish M-Score too high?
Apple's current Beneish M-Score is -2.61. Based on the distribution chart, Apple ranks #921 out of 2404 companies in the Hardware industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Apple has a GF Score™ of 91/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Apple's Beneish M-Score compare to SONO and VUZI?
According to the Hardware industry distribution chart, Apple ranks #921 out of 2404 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts Apple 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 Hardware company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Hardware 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 Apple and its competitors. Apple's current Beneish M-Score is -2.61. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Apple stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Apple (CHIX:APCD) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €250.78, compared to a current price of €259.15 — trading 3.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.61. Apple's overall GF Score™ is 91/100 with 1 warning sign 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 Apple (CHIX:APCD), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.61 as of Jun. 26, 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 Apple (CHIX:APCD) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Apple stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €259.15 is trading 3.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of €250.78. GuruFocus considers Apple to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for CHIX:APCD:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.61
  • GF Value™: €250.78 vs. price of €259.15 (3.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 91/100 with 1 warning sign

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


Apple Business Description

Address One Apple Park Way, Cupertino, CA, USA, 95014
Apple is among the largest companies in the world, with a broad portfolio of hardware and software products targeted at consumers and businesses. Apple's iPhone accounts for the majority of the firm's sales, and Apple's other products, such as the Mac, iPad, and Watch, are designed around the iPhone as the focal point of an expansive software ecosystem. Apple has progressively worked to add new applications, such as streaming video, subscription bundles, and augmented reality. The firm designs its own software and semiconductors and works with subcontractors such as Foxconn and TSMC to build its products and chips. Slightly less than half of Apple's sales come directly through its flagship stores, with the majority coming indirectly through partnerships and distribution.
91GF Score

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

€259.15
Price
€250.78
GF Value