AshlandFRA:AHT -1.82%70 Beneish M-Score is -2.82 as of Jun. 26, 2026. GuruFocus rates FRA:AHT with a GF Score™ of 70/100 and a GF Value™ of €62.09 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,529 Chemicals companies, Ashland ranks better than 76.46% 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 -2.82 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ashland's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:
FRA:AHT'
s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.16 Med: -2.71 Max: -1.51
Current: -2.82
During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Ashland was -1.51. The lowest was -3.16. And the median was -2.71.
Ashland Beneish M-Score Related Terms
Ashland Beneish M-Score Historical Data
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The historical data trend for Ashland'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.
FRA:AHT vs WDFC, KWR, MTX: Beneish M-Score Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Ashland'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.
Ashland Beneish M-Score vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Ashland's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ashland'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 Ashland 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 * 1.1727
+
0.528 * 1.0542
+
0.404 * 0.8298
+
0.892 * 0.8609
+
0.115 * 0.9941
-
0.172 * SGAI
+
4.679 * TATA
-
0.327 * LVGI
-
0.172 * 0.9904
+
4.679 * -0.073016
-
0.327 * 1.1465
=
-2.87
* 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))
=
(208.627 / (208.627 + 1219.15))
/
(188.409 / (188.409 + 1093.36))
=
0.14612
/
0.146991
=
0.9941
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
=
(-612.458 - -571.764
-
243.457)
/
3891.635
=
-0.073016
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.
Ashland has a M-score of -2.87 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
Ashland (FRA:AHT) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.82 as of Jun. 26, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Ashland and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Ashland ranks #360 out of 1529 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 23.5%.
Is Ashland's Beneish M-Score too high?
Ashland's current Beneish M-Score is -2.82. Based on the distribution chart, Ashland ranks #360 out of 1529 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Ashland has a GF Score™ of 70/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ashland's Beneish M-Score compare to WDFC and KWR?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Ashland ranks #360 out of 1529 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Ashland in the top 24% 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 Chemicals company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Chemicals 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 Ashland and its competitors. Ashland's current Beneish M-Score is -2.82. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ashland stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ashland (FRA:AHT) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €62.09, compared to a current price of €54.00 — trading 13% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.82. Ashland's overall GF Score™ is 70/100 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 Ashland (FRA:AHT), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.82 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 Ashland (FRA:AHT) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ashland stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of €54.00 is trading 13% below its estimated GF Value™ of €62.09.
GuruFocus considers Ashland to be Modestly Undervalued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:AHT:
Beneish M-Score: -2.82
GF Value™: €62.09 vs. price of €54.00 (13% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:AHT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Ashland Inc. is a specialty materials company serving markets including pharmaceuticals, personal care, food and beverages, coatings, construction, energy, and electronics. It operates through four segments: Life Sciences, Personal Care, Specialty Additives, and Intermediates. Life Sciences contributes the highest revenue, offering functional additives for pharmaceutical and nutrition applications. Personal Care provides ingredients for skin, hair, oral care, and household products, while Specialty Additives supplies performance-enhancing additives for coatings and. Intermediates produce BDO and related derivatives used in polymers, electronics, agriculture, and pharmaceutical applications. The company generates sales across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and regions.
70GF Score
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