Harte-Hanks (FRA:HHK1) Beneish M-Score: -2.42 (As of Jul. 20, 2026)

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FRA:HHK1 Harte-Hanks Inc FRA:HHK1
53 GF Score
Price €2.08
GF Value €3.54
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 4 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Harte-Hanks Beneish M-Score?

Harte-Hanks FRA:HHK1 +4.00% 53 Beneish M-Score is -2.42 as of Jul. 20, 2026. GuruFocus rates FRA:HHK1 with a GF Score™ of 53/100 and a GF Value™ of €3.54 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 539 Conglomerates companies, Harte-Hanks ranks worse than 59.74% 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 -2.42 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

FRA:HHK1' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -5.16   Med: -2.34   Max: 2.65
Current: -2.42

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Harte-Hanks was 2.65. The lowest was -5.16. And the median was -2.34.


Harte-Hanks Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Harte-Hanks'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.

Harte-Hanks Beneish M-Score Chart

Harte-Hanks 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 -1.45 0.62 -2.76 -1.77 -2.32

Harte-Hanks 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 -1.99 -2.09 -2.72 -2.32 -2.42

FRA:HHK1 vs LGPS, PLAG, CIRX: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Conglomerates subindustry, Harte-Hanks'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.


Harte-Hanks Beneish M-Score vs Conglomerates Industry

For the Conglomerates industry and Industrials sector, Harte-Hanks's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


FRA:HHK1
53GF Score
Harte-Hanks Inc FRA:HHK1
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Harte-Hanks 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 Harte-Hanks 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 * 1.0323+0.528 * 0.9854+0.404 * 1.1607+0.892 * 0.7933+0.115 * 0.9072
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 1.0651+4.679 * 0.026598-0.327 * 0.9697
=-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.

This Year (Mar26) TTM:Last Year (Mar25) TTM:
Total Receivables was €31.3 Mil.
Revenue was 32.233 + 34.039 + 33.671 + 33.493 = €133.4 Mil.
Gross Profit was 22.425 + 24.032 + 23.682 + 22.742 = €92.9 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €39.6 Mil.
Total Assets was €78.2 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €23.6 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €3.9 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €88.4 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €26.6 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €15.6 Mil.
Net Income was -0.543 + 1.881 + -1.948 + -0.29 = €-0.9 Mil.
Non Operating Income was -0.278 + -0.339 + -0.549 + -0.464 = €-1.6 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was -0.497 + 0.629 + 2.723 + -4.205 = €-1.4 Mil.
Total Receivables was €38.2 Mil.
Revenue was 38.444 + 45.008 + 42.915 + 41.838 = €168.2 Mil.
Gross Profit was 25.441 + 30.88 + 29.921 + 29.13 = €115.4 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €49.7 Mil.
Total Assets was €93.0 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €28.0 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €4.1 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €104.6 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €33.4 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €18.4 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)
=(31.283 / 133.436) / (38.201 / 168.205)
=0.234442 / 0.22711
=1.0323

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)
=(115.372 / 168.205) / (92.881 / 133.436)
=0.685901 / 0.696072
=0.9854

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 - (39.601 + 23.613) / 78.2) / (1 - (49.687 + 27.992) / 93.041)
=0.191637 / 0.16511
=1.1607

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
=133.436 / 168.205
=0.7933

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))
=(4.088 / (4.088 + 27.992)) / (3.859 / (3.859 + 23.613))
=0.127431 / 0.14047
=0.9072

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)
=(88.378 / 133.436) / (104.594 / 168.205)
=0.662325 / 0.621825
=1.0651

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)
=((15.613 + 26.578) / 78.2) / ((18.387 + 33.382) / 93.041)
=0.539527 / 0.556411
=0.9697

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
=(-0.9 - -1.63 - -1.35) / 78.2
=0.026598

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.

Harte-Hanks has a M-score of -2.46 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 -2.42 mean?
Harte-Hanks (FRA:HHK1) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.42 as of Jul. 20, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Harte-Hanks and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Harte-Hanks ranks #322 out of 539 companies in the Conglomerates industry, placing it in the top 59.7%.
Is Harte-Hanks' Beneish M-Score too high?
Harte-Hanks' current Beneish M-Score is -2.42. Based on the distribution chart, Harte-Hanks ranks #322 out of 539 companies in the Conglomerates industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Harte-Hanks has a GF Score™ of 53/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Harte-Hanks' Beneish M-Score compare to LGPS and PLAG?
According to the Conglomerates industry distribution chart, Harte-Hanks ranks #322 out of 539 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Harte-Hanks in the lower 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 Conglomerates company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Conglomerates 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 Harte-Hanks and its competitors. Harte-Hanks's current Beneish M-Score is -2.42. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Harte-Hanks stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Harte-Hanks (FRA:HHK1) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is €3.54, compared to a current price of €2.08 — trading 41.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.42. Harte-Hanks' overall GF Score™ is 53/100 with 4 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 Harte-Hanks (FRA:HHK1), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.42 as of Jul. 20, 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 Harte-Hanks (FRA:HHK1) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Harte-Hanks stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of €2.08 is trading 41.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of €3.54. GuruFocus considers Harte-Hanks to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for FRA:HHK1:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.42
  • GF Value™: €3.54 vs. price of €2.08 (41.2% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 53/100 with 4 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:HHK1 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Harte-Hanks Business Description

Other Exchanges HHS:USA
Address 1 Executive Drive, Chelmsford, MA, USA, 01824
Harte-Hanks Inc is a customer experience company. The company operates three business segments: Revenue Solutions; Customer Care; and Fulfillment & Logistics Services. It derives maximum revenue from Fulfillment & Logistics Services segment. The Fulfillment & Logistics Services segment includes printing, lettershop, advanced mail optimization (including commingling services), logistics and transportation optimization, monitoring and tracking, to support traditional and specialized mailings. The company has a geographic presence in the United States and Other countries. The majority of the revenue is earned from the United States.
53GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:HHK1

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

€2.08
Price
€3.54
GF Value