ITIC (Investors Title Co) Beneish M-Score: -2.19 (As of Aug. 21, 2026)

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ITIC Investors Title Co ITIC
63 GF Score
Price $289.26
GF Value $247.84
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 6 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Investors Title Co Beneish M-Score?

Investors Title Co ITIC -1.52% 63 Beneish M-Score is -2.19 as of Aug. 21, 2026. GuruFocus rates ITIC with a GF Score™ of 63/100 and a GF Value™ of $247.84 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 403 Insurance companies, Investors Title Co ranks worse than 75.43% 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 -2.19 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

ITIC' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.95   Med: -2.44   Max: -1.5
Current: -2.19

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Investors Title Co was -1.50. The lowest was -2.95. And the median was -2.44.

ITIC
63GF Score
Investors Title Co ITIC
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Investors Title Co 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 Investors Title Co 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 * 1.107+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1.0028+0.892 * 1.0869+0.115 * 1.0742
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9576+4.679 * 0.020798-0.327 * 0.9901
=-2.19

* 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 (Jun26) TTM:Last Year (Jun25) TTM:
Total Receivables was $23.8 Mil.
Revenue was 86.865 + 64.013 + 69.987 + 73.023 = $293.9 Mil.
Gross Profit was 86.865 + 64.013 + 69.987 + 73.023 = $293.9 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.0 Mil.
Total Assets was $380.1 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $38.9 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $4.4 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $74.5 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $8.7 Mil.
Net Income was 14.633 + 6.067 + 7.517 + 12.214 = $40.4 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0.154 + 0.182 + 0.178 + 0.106 = $0.6 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 8.127 + 1.624 + 4.996 + 17.158 = $31.9 Mil.
Total Receivables was $19.8 Mil.
Revenue was 73.793 + 56.84 + 70.937 + 68.829 = $270.4 Mil.
Gross Profit was 73.793 + 56.84 + 70.937 + 68.829 = $270.4 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.0 Mil.
Total Assets was $345.8 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $36.3 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $4.5 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $71.6 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $8.0 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)
=(23.796 / 293.888) / (19.778 / 270.399)
=0.08097 / 0.073144
=1.107

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)
=(270.399 / 270.399) / (293.888 / 293.888)
=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 + 38.906) / 380.125) / (1 - (0 + 36.261) / 345.824)
=0.897649 / 0.895146
=1.0028

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
=293.888 / 270.399
=1.0869

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))
=(4.48 / (4.48 + 36.261)) / (4.437 / (4.437 + 38.906))
=0.109963 / 0.102369
=1.0742

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)
=(74.49 / 293.888) / (71.571 / 270.399)
=0.253464 / 0.264687
=0.9576

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)
=((8.717 + 0) / 380.125) / ((8.01 + 0) / 345.824)
=0.022932 / 0.023162
=0.9901

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
=(40.431 - 0.62 - 31.905) / 380.125
=0.020798

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.

Investors Title Co has a M-score of -2.19 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 -2.19 mean?
Investors Title Co (ITIC) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.19 as of Aug. 21, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Investors Title Co and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Investors Title Co ranks #304 out of 403 companies in the Insurance industry, placing it in the top 75.4%.
Is Investors Title Co's Beneish M-Score too high?
Investors Title Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.19. Based on the distribution chart, Investors Title Co ranks #304 out of 403 companies in the Insurance industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Investors Title Co has a GF Score™ of 63/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Investors Title Co's Beneish M-Score compare to AMSF and TIPT?
According to the Insurance industry distribution chart, Investors Title Co ranks #304 out of 403 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Investors Title Co 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 Insurance company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Insurance 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 Investors Title Co and its competitors. Investors Title Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.19. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Investors Title Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Investors Title Co (ITIC) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $247.84, compared to a current price of $289.26 — trading 16.7% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.19. Investors Title Co's overall GF Score™ is 63/100 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 Investors Title Co (ITIC), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.19 as of Aug. 21, 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 Investors Title Co (ITIC) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Investors Title Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $289.26 is trading 16.7% above its estimated GF Value™ of $247.84. GuruFocus considers Investors Title Co to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for ITIC:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.19
  • GF Value™: $247.84 vs. price of $289.26 (16.7% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 63/100 with 6 warning signs

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


Investors Title Co Business Description

Address 121 North Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, 27514
Investors Title Co operates in the title insurance and exchange services sectors. The Company has two reportable segments. The Company's primary business activity, and one of its reportable operating segments, is the issuance of residential and commercial title insurance through ITIC and NITIC. The company's second reportable operating segment is providing tax-deferred real property exchange services through its subsidiaries, Investors Title Exchange Corporation (ITEC) and Investors Title Accommodation Corporation (ITAC).
63GF Score

Get the complete analysis for ITIC

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

$289.26
Price
$247.84
GF Value