Highwoods Properties (FRA:HQS) Beneish M-Score: -2.66 (As of Jun. 27, 2026)


FRA:HQS Highwoods Properties Inc FRA:HQS
64 GF Score
Price €26.20
GF Value €22.93
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 13 Warning Signs
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What is Highwoods Properties Beneish M-Score?

Highwoods Properties FRA:HQS +2.34% 64 Beneish M-Score is -2.66 as of Jun. 27, 2026. GuruFocus rates FRA:HQS with a GF Score™ of 64/100 and a GF Value™ of €22.93 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 13 warning signs investors should review. Among 764 REITs companies, Highwoods Properties ranks better than 68.59% 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 -2.66 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

FRA:HQS' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.75   Med: -2.65   Max: -2.1
Current: -2.66

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Highwoods Properties was -2.10. The lowest was -2.75. And the median was -2.65.


Highwoods Properties Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Highwoods Properties'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.

Highwoods Properties Beneish M-Score Chart

Highwoods Properties 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 -2.71 -2.60 -2.65 -2.73 -2.69

Highwoods Properties 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 -2.75 -2.74 -2.71 -2.69 -2.66

FRA:HQS vs SLG, CDP, DEI: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the REIT - Office subindustry, Highwoods Properties'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.


Highwoods Properties Beneish M-Score vs REITs Industry

For the REITs industry and Real Estate sector, Highwoods Properties's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


FRA:HQS
64GF Score
Highwoods Properties Inc FRA:HQS
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Highwoods Properties 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 Highwoods Properties 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 * 1.0637+0.528 * 0.9981+0.404 * 1.0016+0.892 * 0.9321+0.115 * 1
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9815+4.679 * -0.04907-0.327 * 1.0199
=-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 (Mar26) TTM:Last Year (Mar25) TTM:
Total Receivables was €318.0 Mil.
Revenue was 185.139 + 173.666 + 171.911 + 173.92 = €704.6 Mil.
Gross Profit was 123.622 + 116.652 + 115.744 + 118.731 = €474.7 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €417.3 Mil.
Total Assets was €5,706.3 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €0.0 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €258.8 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €35.5 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €241.6 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €3,203.5 Mil.
Net Income was 27.626 + 24.965 + 11.462 + 16.348 = €80.4 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 19.995 + 13.908 + -0.66 + 4.282 = €37.5 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 54.364 + 85.13 + 82.361 + 101.032 = €322.9 Mil.
Total Receivables was €320.7 Mil.
Revenue was 185.354 + 196.277 + 184.095 + 190.202 = €755.9 Mil.
Gross Profit was 125.198 + 128.021 + 124.894 + 130.226 = €508.3 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €419.4 Mil.
Total Assets was €5,619.6 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €0.0 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €275.1 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €38.8 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €238.6 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €3,088.1 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)
=(318.023 / 704.636) / (320.734 / 755.928)
=0.451329 / 0.424292
=1.0637

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)
=(508.339 / 755.928) / (474.749 / 704.636)
=0.67247 / 0.673751
=0.9981

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 - (417.276 + 0) / 5706.319) / (1 - (419.434 + 0) / 5619.593)
=0.926875 / 0.925362
=1.0016

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
=704.636 / 755.928
=0.9321

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))
=(275.094 / (275.094 + 0)) / (258.804 / (258.804 + 0))
=1 / 1
=1

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)
=(35.521 / 704.636) / (38.826 / 755.928)
=0.05041 / 0.051362
=0.9815

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)
=((3203.526 + 241.646) / 5706.319) / ((3088.105 + 238.616) / 5619.593)
=0.603747 / 0.591986
=1.0199

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
=(80.401 - 37.525 - 322.887) / 5706.319
=-0.04907

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.

Highwoods Properties 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 -2.66 mean?
Highwoods Properties (FRA:HQS) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.66 as of Jun. 27, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Highwoods Properties and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Highwoods Properties ranks #240 out of 764 companies in the REITs industry, placing it in the top 31.4%.
Is Highwoods Properties' Beneish M-Score too high?
Highwoods Properties' current Beneish M-Score is -2.66. Based on the distribution chart, Highwoods Properties ranks #240 out of 764 companies in the REITs industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Highwoods Properties has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Highwoods Properties' Beneish M-Score compare to SLG and CDP?
According to the REITs industry distribution chart, Highwoods Properties ranks #240 out of 764 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts Highwoods Properties 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 REITs company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the REITs 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 Highwoods Properties and its competitors. Highwoods Properties's current Beneish M-Score is -2.66. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Highwoods Properties stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Highwoods Properties (FRA:HQS) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €22.93, compared to a current price of €26.20 — trading 14.3% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.66. Highwoods Properties' overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 13 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 Highwoods Properties (FRA:HQS), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.66 as of Jun. 27, 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 Highwoods Properties (FRA:HQS) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Highwoods Properties stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €26.20 is trading 14.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of €22.93. GuruFocus considers Highwoods Properties to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for FRA:HQS:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.66
  • GF Value™: €22.93 vs. price of €26.20 (14.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 64/100 with 13 warning signs

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


Highwoods Properties Business Description

Industry Real EstateREITs
Other Exchanges HIW:USAHIWP34:Brazil
Address 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1400, Raleigh, NC, USA, 27601
Highwoods Properties Inc is a fully integrated office REIT that owns, develops, acquires, leases, and manages office properties mainly in the best business districts of Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, Raleigh, Richmond, and Tampa. Its principal business is the operation, acquisition, and development of rental office properties, with no material inter-segment transactions. The Company evaluates performance by geographic location, and the operating results by geographic grouping are regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker. The core portfolio consists mainly of office properties in its key markets, with the majority of revenue derived from its Raleigh properties.
64GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:HQS

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

€26.20
Price
€22.93
GF Value