HFWA (Heritage Financial) Beneish M-Score: -1.91 (As of Jun. 25, 2026)


HFWA Heritage Financial Corp HFWA
63 GF Score
Price $29.15
GF Value $27.20
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 4 Warning Signs
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What is Heritage Financial Beneish M-Score?

Heritage Financial HFWA +0.55% 63 Beneish M-Score is -1.91 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates HFWA with a GF Score™ of 63/100 and a GF Value™ of $27.20 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,396 Banks companies, Heritage Financial ranks worse than 92.41% on this metric.

Note: Financial institutions were excluded from the sample in Beneish paper when calculating Beneish M-Score. Thus, the prediction might not fit banks and insurance companies.

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 -1.91 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

HFWA' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -21.54   Med: -2.46   Max: -0.99
Current: -1.91

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Heritage Financial was -0.99. The lowest was -21.54. And the median was -2.46.

HFWA
63GF Score
Heritage Financial Corp HFWA
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Heritage Financial 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 Heritage Financial 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 * 1.0469+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 0.9981+0.892 * 1.1801+0.115 * 1.7286
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9598+4.679 * -0.001996-0.327 * 0.1242
=-1.91

* 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 $24.3 Mil.
Revenue was 77.918 + 66.348 + 65.696 + 56.5 = $266.5 Mil.
Gross Profit was 77.918 + 66.348 + 65.696 + 56.5 = $266.5 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.0 Mil.
Total Assets was $8,498.4 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $100.5 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $2.4 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $116.9 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $42.4 Mil.
Net Income was 18.947 + 22.237 + 19.169 + 12.215 = $72.6 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = $0.0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 13.969 + 27.985 + 25.067 + 22.514 = $89.5 Mil.
 Total Receivables was $19.7 Mil.
Revenue was 57.593 + 57.053 + 54.795 + 56.359 = $225.8 Mil.
Gross Profit was 57.593 + 57.053 + 54.795 + 56.359 = $225.8 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.0 Mil.
Total Assets was $7,129.9 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $71.1 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $3.0 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $103.2 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $286.5 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)
=(24.278 / 266.462) / (19.651 / 225.8)
=0.091112 / 0.087028
=1.0469

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)
=(225.8 / 225.8) / (266.462 / 266.462)
=1 / 1
=1

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 - (0 + 100.509) / 8498.404) / (1 - (0 + 71.079) / 7129.862)
=0.988173 / 0.990031
=0.9981

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
=266.462 / 225.8
=1.1801

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))
=(3.006 / (3.006 + 71.079)) / (2.416 / (2.416 + 100.509))
=0.040575 / 0.023473
=1.7286

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)
=(116.927 / 266.462) / (103.239 / 225.8)
=0.438813 / 0.457214
=0.9598

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)
=((42.424 + 0) / 8498.404) / ((286.531 + 0) / 7129.862)
=0.004992 / 0.040187
=0.1242

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
=(72.568 - 0 - 89.535) / 8498.404
=-0.001996

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.

Heritage Financial has a M-score of -1.91 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 -1.91 mean?
Heritage Financial (HFWA) has a Beneish M-Score of -1.91 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Heritage Financial and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Heritage Financial ranks #1290 out of 1396 companies in the Banks industry, placing it in the top 92.4%.
Is Heritage Financial's Beneish M-Score too high?
Heritage Financial's current Beneish M-Score is -1.91. Based on the distribution chart, Heritage Financial ranks #1290 out of 1396 companies in the Banks industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Heritage Financial has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Heritage Financial's Beneish M-Score compare to PFBC and MCB?
According to the Banks industry distribution chart, Heritage Financial ranks #1290 out of 1396 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Heritage Financial 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 Banks company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Banks 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 Heritage Financial and its competitors. Heritage Financial's current Beneish M-Score is -1.91. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Heritage Financial stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Heritage Financial (HFWA) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $27.20, compared to a current price of $29.15 — trading 7.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -1.91. Heritage Financial's overall GF Score™ is 63/100 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 Heritage Financial (HFWA), the current Beneish M-Score is -1.91 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 Heritage Financial (HFWA) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Heritage Financial stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $29.15 is trading 7.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of $27.20. GuruFocus considers Heritage Financial to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for HFWA:

  • Beneish M-Score: -1.91
  • GF Value™: $27.20 vs. price of $29.15 (7.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 63/100 with 4 warning signs

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

Heritage Financial Business Description

Address 201 Fifth Avenue SW, Olympia, WA, USA, 98501
Heritage Financial Corp is a bank holding company. The company, through its subsidiary, provides commercial lending and deposit relationships with small businesses and their owners in its market areas and attracts deposits from the general public. It accepts various deposit products, such as non-interest demand accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. Besides, the Bank also makes real estate construction loans, land development loans, and consumer loans, and originates first mortgage loans on residential properties mainly located in its market area. Geographically, all the business activity functions through the region of the United States.
63GF Score

Get the complete analysis for HFWA

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

$29.15
Price
$27.20
GF Value