ISCO (International Stem Cell) Beneish M-Score: -2.80 (As of Jun. 24, 2026)

What is International Stem Cell Beneish M-Score?

International Stem Cell ISCO +4.76% 28 Beneish M-Score is -2.80 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus rates ISCO with a GF Score™ of 28/100 and a GF Value™ of $0.13 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 831 Biotechnology companies, International Stem Cell ranks better than 67.75% 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 -2.8 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

ISCO' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.68 Med: -3.35 Max: -1.98
Current: -2.8

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of International Stem Cell was -1.98. The lowest was -6.68. And the median was -3.35.

International Stem Cell Beneish M-Score Related Terms

International Stem Cell Beneish M-Score Historical Data

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The historical data trend for International Stem Cell'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.

International Stem Cell Beneish M-Score Chart

International Stem Cell Annual Data

Trend

Dec16

Dec17

Dec18

Dec19

Dec20

Dec21

Dec22

Dec23

Dec24

Dec25

Beneish M-Score

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-2.25

-3.18

-4.25

-2.00

-3.19

International Stem Cell 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															-2.76	-2.52	-1.98	-3.19	-2.80

ISCO vs ONCO, VRAX, LYRA: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Biotechnology subindustry, International Stem Cell'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.

International Stem Cell Beneish M-Score vs Biotechnology Industry

For the Biotechnology industry and Healthcare sector, International Stem Cell's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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

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International Stem Cell Corp ISCO

Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.

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International Stem Cell 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 International Stem Cell for today is based on a combination of the following eight different indices:

-4.84

0.92 * DSRI

0.528 * GMI

0.404 * AQI

0.892 * SGI

0.115 * DEPI

-4.84

0.92 * 0.9692

0.528 * 1.0076

0.404 * 1.0032

0.892 * 1.0221

0.115 * 0.6554

0.172 * SGAI

4.679 * TATA

0.327 * LVGI

0.172 * 1.0259

4.679 * -0.056302

0.327 * 1.0225

-2.80

This Year (Mar26) TTM:

Last Year (Mar25) TTM:

Total Receivables was $0.84 Mil.
Revenue was 2.315 + 2.155 + 2.369 + 2.447 = $9.29 Mil.
Gross Profit was 1.361 + 1.089 + 1.321 + 1.52 = $5.29 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $3.81 Mil.
Total Assets was $5.13 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $0.43 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $0.20 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $4.88 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $5.05 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $0.00 Mil.
Net Income was -0.22 + -0.348 + 0.057 + 0.129 = $-0.38 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0.005 + 0 + 0 + 0 = $0.01 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 0.121 + 0.032 + 0.049 + -0.3 = $-0.10 Mil.

Total Receivables was $0.85 Mil.
Revenue was 2.129 + 2.446 + 2.179 + 2.331 = $9.09 Mil.
Gross Profit was 1.137 + 1.456 + 1.205 + 1.418 = $5.22 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $3.84 Mil.
Total Assets was $5.62 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $0.81 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $0.21 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $4.65 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $5.11 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $0.30 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)
	=	(0.843 / 9.286)	/	(0.851 / 9.085)
	=	0.090782	/	0.093671
	=	0.9692

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)
	=	(5.216 / 9.085)	/	(5.291 / 9.286)
	=	0.574133	/	0.569782
	=	1.0076

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 - (3.813 + 0.43) / 5.133)	/	(1 - (3.838 + 0.814) / 5.624)
	=	0.173388	/	0.172831
	=	1.0032

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
	=	9.286	/	9.085
	=	1.0221

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))
	=	(0.212 / (0.212 + 0.814))	/	(0.198 / (0.198 + 0.43))
	=	0.206628	/	0.315287
	=	0.6554

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)
	=	(4.88 / 9.286)	/	(4.654 / 9.085)
	=	0.525522	/	0.512273
	=	1.0259

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)
	=	((0 + 5.049) / 5.133)	/	((0.302 + 5.108) / 5.624)
	=	0.983635	/	0.961949
	=	1.0225

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
	=	(-0.382 - 0.005	-	-0.098)	/	5.133
	=	-0.056302

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.

International Stem Cell has a M-score of -2.80 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 -2.80 mean?

International Stem Cell (ISCO) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.80 as of Jun. 24, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on International Stem Cell and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #268 out of 831 companies in the Biotechnology industry, placing it in the top 32.3%.

Is International Stem Cell's Beneish M-Score too high?

International Stem Cell's current Beneish M-Score is -2.80. Based on the distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #268 out of 831 companies in the Biotechnology industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, International Stem Cell has a GF Score™ of 28/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.

How does International Stem Cell's Beneish M-Score compare to ONCO and VRAX?

According to the Biotechnology industry distribution chart, International Stem Cell ranks #268 out of 831 companies for Beneish M-Score. This puts International Stem Cell 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 Biotechnology company?

A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Biotechnology 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 International Stem Cell and its competitors. International Stem Cell's current Beneish M-Score is -2.80. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.

Is International Stem Cell stock overvalued right now?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, International Stem Cell (ISCO) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $0.13, compared to a current price of $0.18 — trading 37% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.80. International Stem Cell's overall GF Score™ is 28/100 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 International Stem Cell (ISCO), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.80 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 International Stem Cell (ISCO) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, International Stem Cell stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $0.18 is trading 37% above its estimated GF Value™ of $0.13. GuruFocus considers International Stem Cell to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for ISCO:

Beneish M-Score: -2.80
GF Value™: $0.13 vs. price of $0.18 (37% above fair value)
GF Score™: 28/100 with 4 warning signs

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

International Stem Cell Business Description

Industry Healthcare Biotechnology

Comparable Companies ONCO VRAX LYRA ABPO BPTH ADAPY ZVSA CLSDQ BZYR ATXI VRTX REGN XBRU:UCB XBRU:ARGX XKRX:207940 ALNY RVMD ASX:CSL ONC XKRX:068270

Address 9745 Businesspark Avenue, San Diego, CA, USA, 92131

Website https://www.internationalstemcell.com

International Stem Cell Corp is a clinical-stage biotechnology company. It is focused on therapeutic and biomedical product development with multiple long-term therapeutic opportunities. The company develops different cell types from its stem cells that may result in therapeutic products. The clinical applications of the company include neural stem cells for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other central nervous system disorders; Liver cells, which are used to treat a variety of congenital and acquired liver diseases; and retinal cells and three-dimensional eye structures. The company operates in three segments, the therapeutic market, the biomedical market, and the anti-aging market. The Biomedical products business segment accounts for the majority of revenue.

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$0.18

Price

$0.13

GF Value

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