Hong Kong and China Gas Co (FRA:HCG) Beneish M-Score: -2.63 (As of Jun. 25, 2026)


FRA:HCG Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd FRA:HCG
83 GF Score
Price €0.74
GF Value €0.68
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 7 Warning Signs
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What is Hong Kong and China Gas Co Beneish M-Score?

Hong Kong and China Gas Co FRA:HCG +0.05% 83 Beneish M-Score is -2.63 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates FRA:HCG with a GF Score™ of 83/100 and a GF Value™ of €0.68 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 485 Utilities - Regulated companies, Hong Kong and China Gas Co ranks better than 56.29% 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 -2.63 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

The historical rank and industry rank for Hong Kong and China Gas Co's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:

FRA:HCG' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.68   Med: -2.48   Max: -2.32
Current: -2.63

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Hong Kong and China Gas Co was -2.32. The lowest was -2.68. And the median was -2.48.


Hong Kong and China Gas Co Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Hong Kong and China Gas Co'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.

Hong Kong and China Gas Co Beneish M-Score Chart

Hong Kong and China Gas Co Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Beneish M-Score
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -2.39 -2.49 -2.68 -2.40 -2.63

Hong Kong and China Gas Co Semi-Annual Data
Jun16 Dec16 Jun17 Dec17 Jun18 Dec18 Jun19 Dec19 Jun20 Dec20 Jun21 Dec21 Jun22 Dec22 Jun23 Dec23 Jun24 Dec24 Jun25 Dec25
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 -2.68 0.00 -2.40 0.00 -2.63

FRA:HCG vs ATO, NI: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Utilities - Regulated Gas subindustry, Hong Kong and China Gas Co'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.


Hong Kong and China Gas Co Beneish M-Score vs Utilities - Regulated Industry

For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Hong Kong and China Gas Co's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Hong Kong and China Gas Co's Beneish M-Score falls into.


FRA:HCG
83GF Score
Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd FRA:HCG
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Hong Kong and China Gas Co 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 Hong Kong and China Gas Co 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 * 0.9819+0.528 * 1.0265+0.404 * 1.033+0.892 * 0.8749+0.115 * 0.958
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 1+4.679 * -0.029622-0.327 * 0.9854
=-2.72

* 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 (Dec25) TTM:Last Year (Dec24) TTM:
Total Receivables was €1,223 Mil.
Revenue was €5,963 Mil.
Gross Profit was €2,305 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €2,639 Mil.
Total Assets was €17,951 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €7,946 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €417 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €0 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €4,201 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €4,799 Mil.
Net Income was €624 Mil.
Gross Profit was €0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was €1,156 Mil.
Total Receivables was €1,424 Mil.
Revenue was €6,815 Mil.
Gross Profit was €2,704 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €2,990 Mil.
Total Assets was €19,444 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €8,730 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €438 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €0 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €4,431 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €5,462 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)
=(1223.07 / 5962.711) / (1423.642 / 6815.103)
=0.20512 / 0.208895
=0.9819

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)
=(2703.913 / 6815.103) / (2304.641 / 5962.711)
=0.396753 / 0.386509
=1.0265

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 - (2638.874 + 7946.257) / 17951.375) / (1 - (2990.361 + 8729.538) / 19444.067)
=0.410344 / 0.397251
=1.033

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
=5962.711 / 6815.103
=0.8749

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))
=(438.334 / (438.334 + 8729.538)) / (417.396 / (417.396 + 7946.257))
=0.047812 / 0.049906
=0.958

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)
=(0 / 5962.711) / (0 / 6815.103)
=0 / 0
=1

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)
=((4798.976 + 4200.787) / 17951.375) / ((5461.562 + 4431.068) / 19444.067)
=0.501341 / 0.508774
=0.9854

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
=(624.322 - 0 - 1156.074) / 17951.375
=-0.029622

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.

Hong Kong and China Gas Co has a M-score of -2.72 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 -2.63 mean?
Hong Kong and China Gas Co (FRA:HCG) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.63 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Hong Kong and China Gas Co and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Hong Kong and China Gas Co ranks #212 out of 485 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 43.7%.
Is Hong Kong and China Gas Co's Beneish M-Score too high?
Hong Kong and China Gas Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.63. Based on the distribution chart, Hong Kong and China Gas Co ranks #212 out of 485 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Hong Kong and China Gas Co has a GF Score™ of 83/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Hong Kong and China Gas Co's Beneish M-Score compare to ATO and NI?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Hong Kong and China Gas Co ranks #212 out of 485 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts Hong Kong and China Gas Co 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 an Utilities - Regulated company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Utilities - Regulated 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 Hong Kong and China Gas Co and its competitors. Hong Kong and China Gas Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.63. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Hong Kong and China Gas Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Hong Kong and China Gas Co (FRA:HCG) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €0.68, compared to a current price of €0.74 — trading 8.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.63. Hong Kong and China Gas Co's overall GF Score™ is 83/100 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 Hong Kong and China Gas Co (FRA:HCG), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.63 as of Jun. 25, 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 Hong Kong and China Gas Co (FRA:HCG) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Hong Kong and China Gas Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €0.74 is trading 8.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €0.68. GuruFocus considers Hong Kong and China Gas Co to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for FRA:HCG:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.63
  • GF Value™: €0.68 vs. price of €0.74 (8.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 83/100 with 7 warning signs

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


Hong Kong and China Gas Co Business Description

Address 363 Java Road, 23rd Floor, North Point, Hong Kong, HKG
Hong Kong and China Gas Co Ltd, is the oldest public utility company in Hong Kong. The company's core business comprises the production and distribution of town gas in Hong Kong, with a monopoly on distribution and retail. The company is also investing in water, upstream gas, and new energies. The Group's principal activities are the production, distribution, and marketing of gas and related products or services, water supply and waste treatment, renewable energy businesses, extended businesses, and fuels businesses (Green Fuels) in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. The company operates in three segments: Gas, water and waste treatment, renewable energy, extended businesses, and related businesses, Green Fuels, and Property.
83GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:HCG

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

€0.74
Price
€0.68
GF Value