Sappi (FRA:SPI) Beneish M-Score: -1.83 (As of Jun. 24, 2026)


FRA:SPI Sappi Ltd FRA:SPI
52 GF Score
Price €0.57
GF Value €1.66
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 6 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Sappi Beneish M-Score?

Sappi FRA:SPI +3.64% 52 Beneish M-Score is -1.83 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus rates FRA:SPI with a GF Score™ of 52/100 and a GF Value™ of €1.66 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 273 Forest Products companies, Sappi ranks worse than 88.28% 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 -1.83 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

FRA:SPI' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.11   Med: -2.55   Max: -1.71
Current: -1.83

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Sappi was -1.71. The lowest was -3.11. And the median was -2.55.


Sappi Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Sappi'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.

Sappi Beneish M-Score Chart

Sappi 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 -2.77 -2.74 -2.03 -2.40 -2.60

Sappi 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 -2.51 -1.78 -2.60 -1.71 -1.83

FRA:SPI vs SLVM: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Paper & Paper Products subindustry, Sappi'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.


Sappi Beneish M-Score vs Forest Products Industry

For the Forest Products industry and Basic Materials sector, Sappi's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


FRA:SPI
52GF Score
Sappi Ltd FRA:SPI
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Sappi 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 Sappi 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 * 1.0521+0.528 * 2.9991+0.404 * 2.1963+0.892 * 0.8915+0.115 * 0.7503
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9089+4.679 * -0.148326-0.327 * 1.171
=-1.75

* 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 €579 Mil.
Revenue was 1153.91 + 1099.098 + 1183.428 + 1145.307 = €4,582 Mil.
Gross Profit was -38.06 + 77.714 + 97.98 + 63.291 = €201 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €1,495 Mil.
Total Assets was €4,847 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €2,791 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €347 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €303 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €1,105 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €1,568 Mil.
Net Income was -357.245 + -31.598 + -165.288 + -28.611 = €-583 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = €0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was -7.785 + 45.262 + 101.388 + -2.601 = €136 Mil.
Total Receivables was €617 Mil.
Revenue was 1245.975 + 1301.665 + 1319.064 + 1272.73 = €5,139 Mil.
Gross Profit was 107.3 + 222.515 + 191.913 + 154.214 = €676 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €1,562 Mil.
Total Assets was €5,456 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €3,606 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €326 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €374 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €1,132 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €1,437 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)
=(578.685 / 4581.743) / (616.975 / 5139.434)
=0.126302 / 0.120047
=1.0521

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)
=(675.942 / 5139.434) / (200.925 / 4581.743)
=0.131521 / 0.043853
=2.9991

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 - (1494.72 + 2791.355) / 4847.46) / (1 - (1562.325 + 3605.65) / 5455.65)
=0.11581 / 0.05273
=2.1963

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
=4581.743 / 5139.434
=0.8915

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))
=(326.35 / (326.35 + 3605.65)) / (347.172 / (347.172 + 2791.355))
=0.082998 / 0.110616
=0.7503

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)
=(303.374 / 4581.743) / (374.43 / 5139.434)
=0.066214 / 0.072854
=0.9089

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)
=((1568.245 + 1105.47) / 4847.46) / ((1437.45 + 1132.2) / 5455.65)
=0.55157 / 0.471007
=1.171

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
=(-582.742 - 0 - 136.264) / 4847.46
=-0.148326

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.

Sappi has a M-score of -1.75 signals that the company is likely to be a manipulator.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Beneish M-Score →
What does a Beneish M-Score of -1.83 mean?
Sappi (FRA:SPI) has a Beneish M-Score of -1.83 as of Jun. 24, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Sappi and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Sappi ranks #241 out of 273 companies in the Forest Products industry, placing it in the top 88.3%.
Is Sappi's Beneish M-Score too high?
Sappi's current Beneish M-Score is -1.83. Based on the distribution chart, Sappi ranks #241 out of 273 companies in the Forest Products industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Sappi has a GF Score™ of 52/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sappi's Beneish M-Score compare to SLVM?
According to the Forest Products industry distribution chart, Sappi ranks #241 out of 273 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Sappi 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 Forest Products company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Forest Products 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 Sappi and its competitors. Sappi's current Beneish M-Score is -1.83. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sappi stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sappi (FRA:SPI) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is €1.66, compared to a current price of €0.57 — trading 65.7% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -1.83. Sappi's overall GF Score™ is 52/100 with 6 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 Sappi (FRA:SPI), the current Beneish M-Score is -1.83 as of Jun. 24, 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 Sappi (FRA:SPI) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sappi stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of €0.57 is trading 65.7% below its estimated GF Value™ of €1.66. GuruFocus considers Sappi to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for FRA:SPI:

  • Beneish M-Score: -1.83
  • GF Value™: €1.66 vs. price of €0.57 (65.7% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 52/100 with 6 warning signs

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


Sappi Business Description

Address 108 Oxford Road, Ground Floor, Houghton Estate, Rosebank, Oxford Room, Johannesburg, GT, ZAF, 2198
Sappi Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing of sustainable woodfibre-based products including specialty and packaging papers, graphic papers, release papers, pulp, and biomaterials like lignin and furfural from renewable resources. The products and services include Dissolving pulp, Graphic papers, Packaging and specialty papers, Casting and release papers, Biomaterials and Bio-energy. The company's geographical segments include Europe, North America and South Africa. The majority of revenue is generated from South Africa.
52GF Score

Get the complete analysis for FRA:SPI

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

€0.57
Price
€1.66
GF Value