United Airlines Holdings (HAM:UAL1) Beneish M-Score: -2.65 (As of Jun. 24, 2026)


HAM:UAL1 United Airlines Holdings Inc HAM:UAL1
79 GF Score
Price €105.50
GF Value €67.96
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 8 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is United Airlines Holdings Beneish M-Score?

United Airlines Holdings HAM:UAL1 +1.44% 79 Beneish M-Score is -2.65 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus rates HAM:UAL1 with a GF Score™ of 79/100 and a GF Value™ of €67.96 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 966 Transportation companies, United Airlines Holdings ranks better than 56% 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 -2.65 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

HAM:UAL1' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -9.18   Med: -2.83   Max: 1.07
Current: -2.65

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of United Airlines Holdings was 1.07. The lowest was -9.18. And the median was -2.83.


United Airlines Holdings Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for United Airlines Holdings'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.

United Airlines Holdings Beneish M-Score Chart

United Airlines Holdings 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 -9.11 -3.00 -2.76 -2.77 -2.67

United Airlines Holdings 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 -2.92 -2.91 -2.70 -2.67 -2.65

HAM:UAL1 vs LUV, DAL, AAL: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Airlines subindustry, United Airlines Holdings'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.


United Airlines Holdings Beneish M-Score vs Transportation Industry

For the Transportation industry and Industrials sector, United Airlines Holdings's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


HAM:UAL1
79GF Score
United Airlines Holdings Inc HAM:UAL1
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

United Airlines Holdings 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 United Airlines Holdings 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 * 1.1203+0.528 * 1.0313+0.404 * 0.9734+0.892 * 0.9704+0.115 * 1
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9071+4.679 * -0.074312-0.327 * 0.954
=-2.71

* 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 €2,301 Mil.
Revenue was 12635.92 + 13148.184 + 12971.7 + 13209.612 = €51,965 Mil.
Gross Profit was 3176.28 + 3848.978 + 3767.544 + 4114.782 = €14,908 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €16,774 Mil.
Total Assets was €70,014 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €45,682 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €0 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €1,834 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €24,031 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €24,194 Mil.
Net Income was 604.635 + 891.576 + 808.548 + 843.591 = €3,148 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 346 + 66.612 + 58.788 + -329.46 = €142 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 4151.135 + 1098.244 + 1037.736 + 1922.139 = €8,209 Mil.
Total Receivables was €2,116 Mil.
Revenue was 12221.1 + 14033.725 + 13373.543 + 13921.994 = €53,550 Mil.
Gross Profit was 3074.7 + 4308.96 + 3998.638 + 4461.058 = €15,843 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €18,637 Mil.
Total Assets was €70,403 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €43,958 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €0 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €2,084 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €23,863 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €26,967 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)
=(2300.9 / 51965.416) / (2116.4 / 53550.362)
=0.044278 / 0.039522
=1.1203

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)
=(15843.356 / 53550.362) / (14907.584 / 51965.416)
=0.295859 / 0.286875
=1.0313

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 - (16774.08 + 45681.515) / 70013.965) / (1 - (18636.9 + 43957.85) / 70402.675)
=0.107955 / 0.110904
=0.9734

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
=51965.416 / 53550.362
=0.9704

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))
=(0 / (0 + 43957.85)) / (0 / (0 + 45681.515))
=0 / 0
=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)
=(1834.253 / 51965.416) / (2083.733 / 53550.362)
=0.035298 / 0.038912
=0.9071

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)
=((24194.05 + 24030.565) / 70013.965) / ((26967.45 + 23863.15) / 70402.675)
=0.688786 / 0.721998
=0.954

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
=(3148.35 - 141.94 - 8209.254) / 70013.965
=-0.074312

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.

United Airlines Holdings has a M-score of -2.71 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 -2.65 mean?
United Airlines Holdings (HAM:UAL1) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.65 as of Jun. 24, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on United Airlines Holdings and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, United Airlines Holdings ranks #425 out of 966 companies in the Transportation industry, placing it in the top 44%.
Is United Airlines Holdings' Beneish M-Score too high?
United Airlines Holdings' current Beneish M-Score is -2.65. Based on the distribution chart, United Airlines Holdings ranks #425 out of 966 companies in the Transportation industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, United Airlines Holdings has a GF Score™ of 79/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does United Airlines Holdings' Beneish M-Score compare to LUV and DAL?
According to the Transportation industry distribution chart, United Airlines Holdings ranks #425 out of 966 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts United Airlines Holdings 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 Transportation company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Transportation 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 United Airlines Holdings and its competitors. United Airlines Holdings's current Beneish M-Score is -2.65. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is United Airlines Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, United Airlines Holdings (HAM:UAL1) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €67.96, compared to a current price of €105.50 — trading 55.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.65. United Airlines Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 79/100 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 United Airlines Holdings (HAM:UAL1), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.65 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 United Airlines Holdings (HAM:UAL1) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, United Airlines Holdings stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €105.50 is trading 55.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €67.96. GuruFocus considers United Airlines Holdings to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for HAM:UAL1:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.65
  • GF Value™: €67.96 vs. price of €105.50 (55.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 79/100 with 8 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the HAM:UAL1 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


United Airlines Holdings Business Description

Address 233 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, USA, 60606
Chicago-based United Airlines is a major US network carrier with hubs in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, Newark, and Washington, D.C. United operates a hub-and-spoke system that is more focused on international and long-haul travel, especially across the Pacific, than its large US peers.
79GF Score

Get the complete analysis for HAM:UAL1

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

€105.50
Price
€67.96
GF Value