HLX (Helix Energy Solutions Group) Beneish M-Score: -2.56 (As of Jun. 25, 2026)


HLX Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc HLX
81 GF Score
Price $8.57
GF Value $9.79
Valuation Modestly Undervalued
! 3 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Helix Energy Solutions Group Beneish M-Score?

Helix Energy Solutions Group HLX 81 Beneish M-Score is -2.56 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates HLX with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of $9.79 (Modestly Undervalued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 822 Oil & Gas companies, Helix Energy Solutions Group ranks worse than 58.03% 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 -2.56 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

HLX' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.08   Med: -2.6   Max: -1
Current: -2.56

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Helix Energy Solutions Group was -1.00. The lowest was -6.08. And the median was -2.60.


Helix Energy Solutions Group Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Helix Energy Solutions Group'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.

Helix Energy Solutions Group Beneish M-Score Chart

Helix Energy Solutions Group 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 -1.00 -2.18 -2.61 -2.71 -2.25

Helix Energy Solutions Group 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 -2.27 -2.18 -2.09 -2.25 -2.56

HLX vs WBI, RES, VTOL: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Oil & Gas Equipment & Services subindustry, Helix Energy Solutions Group'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.


Helix Energy Solutions Group Beneish M-Score vs Oil & Gas Industry

For the Oil & Gas industry and Energy sector, Helix Energy Solutions Group's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Helix Energy Solutions Group's Beneish M-Score falls into.


HLX
81GF Score
Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc HLX
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Helix Energy Solutions Group 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 Helix Energy Solutions Group 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 * 0.9046+0.528 * 1.5732+0.404 * 0.9441+0.892 * 0.9709+0.115 * 0.9196
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.8975+4.679 * -0.058693-0.327 * 0.9435
=-2.56

* 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 $258 Mil.
Revenue was 287.946 + 334.162 + 376.96 + 302.288 = $1,301 Mil.
Gross Profit was 8.828 + 50.633 + 66.019 + 14.948 = $140 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $819 Mil.
Total Assets was $2,568 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $1,623 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $135 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $79 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $281 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $552 Mil.
Net Income was -13.406 + 8.27 + 22.083 + -2.598 = $14 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 1.986 + -18.45 + -0.983 + 0.432 = $-17 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 61.786 + 113.163 + 24.277 + -17.133 = $182 Mil.
Total Receivables was $294 Mil.
Revenue was 278.064 + 355.133 + 342.419 + 364.797 = $1,340 Mil.
Gross Profit was 27.538 + 58.859 + 65.665 + 75.486 = $228 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $736 Mil.
Total Assets was $2,635 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $1,762 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $134 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $90 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $323 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $583 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)
=(258.11 / 1301.356) / (293.9 / 1340.413)
=0.198339 / 0.219261
=0.9046

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)
=(227.548 / 1340.413) / (140.428 / 1301.356)
=0.16976 / 0.107909
=1.5732

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 - (819.291 + 1623.004) / 2568.089) / (1 - (736.207 + 1762.097) / 2635.023)
=0.048984 / 0.051885
=0.9441

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
=1301.356 / 1340.413
=0.9709

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))
=(133.794 / (133.794 + 1762.097)) / (134.912 / (134.912 + 1623.004))
=0.070571 / 0.076745
=0.9196

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)
=(78.716 / 1301.356) / (90.336 / 1340.413)
=0.060488 / 0.067394
=0.8975

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)
=((552.256 + 281.055) / 2568.089) / ((582.843 + 323.395) / 2635.023)
=0.324487 / 0.34392
=0.9435

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
=(14.349 - -17.015 - 182.093) / 2568.089
=-0.058693

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.

Helix Energy Solutions Group has a M-score of -2.56 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 -2.56 mean?
Helix Energy Solutions Group (HLX) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.56 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Helix Energy Solutions Group and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Helix Energy Solutions Group ranks #477 out of 822 companies in the Oil & Gas industry, placing it in the top 58%.
Is Helix Energy Solutions Group's Beneish M-Score too high?
Helix Energy Solutions Group's current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Based on the distribution chart, Helix Energy Solutions Group ranks #477 out of 822 companies in the Oil & Gas industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Helix Energy Solutions Group has a GF Score™ of 81/100 and is considered Modestly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Helix Energy Solutions Group's Beneish M-Score compare to WBI and RES?
According to the Oil & Gas industry distribution chart, Helix Energy Solutions Group ranks #477 out of 822 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Helix Energy Solutions Group 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 an Oil & Gas company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Oil & Gas 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 Helix Energy Solutions Group and its competitors. Helix Energy Solutions Group's current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Helix Energy Solutions Group stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Helix Energy Solutions Group (HLX) is currently considered Modestly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $9.79, compared to a current price of $8.57 — trading 12.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Helix Energy Solutions Group's overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 3 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 Helix Energy Solutions Group (HLX), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.56 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 Helix Energy Solutions Group (HLX) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Helix Energy Solutions Group stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $8.57 is trading 12.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of $9.79. GuruFocus considers Helix Energy Solutions Group to be Modestly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for HLX:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.56
  • GF Value™: $9.79 vs. price of $8.57 (12.5% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 81/100 with 3 warning signs

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


Helix Energy Solutions Group Business Description

Industry EnergyOil & Gas
Other Exchanges CTV:Germany
Address 3505 West Sam Houston Parkway North, Suite 400, Houston, TX, USA, 77043
Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc is an offshore energy services company. It provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with an emphasis on well intervention and robotics operations. Helix provides services in deep water in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, the North Sea, Asia Pacific and West Africa regions. It has four segments: Well Intervention, Robotics, Shallow Water Abandonment and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment includes vessels and equipment used to perform well intervention services in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea and Brazil. It derives the majority of its revenue from the U.S., and it also has its presence in North Sea, Brazil, Asia Pacific, West Africa, and Other.
81GF Score

Get the complete analysis for HLX

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

$8.57
Price
$9.79
GF Value