Scottish American Investment Co (The) (LSE:SAIN) Beneish M-Score: -3.37 (As of Jun. 26, 2026)


LSE:SAIN Scottish American Investment Co (The) PLC LSE:SAIN
37 GF Score
Price £5.36
GF Value £1.27
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 5 Warning Signs
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What is Scottish American Investment Co (The) Beneish M-Score?

Scottish American Investment Co (The) LSE:SAIN -0.37% 37 Beneish M-Score is -3.37 as of Jun. 26, 2026. GuruFocus rates LSE:SAIN with a GF Score™ of 37/100 and a GF Value™ of £1.27 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 5 warning signs investors should review. Among 954 Asset Management companies, Scottish American Investment Co (The) ranks better than 88.36% 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 -3.37 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

The historical rank and industry rank for Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:

LSE:SAIN' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.37   Med: -2.24   Max: 2.18
Current: -3.37

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Scottish American Investment Co (The) was 2.18. The lowest was -3.37. And the median was -2.24.

LSE:SAIN
37GF Score
Scottish American Investment Co (The) PLC LSE:SAIN
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Scottish American Investment Co (The) 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 Scottish American Investment Co (The) 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+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1+0.892 * 0.3853+0.115 * 1
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 2.7396+4.679 * -0.00466-0.327 * 1.0745
=-3.37

* 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 (Dec25) TTM:Last Year (Dec24) TTM:
Total Receivables was £0.00 Mil.
Revenue was £21.46 Mil.
Gross Profit was £21.46 Mil.
Total Current Assets was £0.00 Mil.
Total Assets was £978.32 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was £0.00 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was £0.00 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was £1.42 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was £0.00 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was £94.76 Mil.
Net Income was £17.70 Mil.
Gross Profit was £0.00 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was £22.26 Mil.
 Total Receivables was £0.00 Mil.
Revenue was £55.70 Mil.
Gross Profit was £55.70 Mil.
Total Current Assets was £0.00 Mil.
Total Assets was £1,051.09 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was £0.00 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was £0.00 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was £1.35 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was £0.00 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was £94.74 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 / 21.46) / (0 / 55.695)
=0 / 0
=1

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)
=(55.695 / 55.695) / (21.46 / 21.46)
=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 + 0) / 978.323) / (1 - (0 + 0) / 1051.087)
=1 / 1
=1

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
=21.46 / 55.695
=0.3853

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 + 0)) / (0 / (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)
=(1.424 / 21.46) / (1.349 / 55.695)
=0.066356 / 0.024221
=2.7396

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)
=((94.756 + 0) / 978.323) / ((94.742 + 0) / 1051.087)
=0.096856 / 0.090137
=1.0745

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
=(17.699 - 0 - 22.258) / 978.323
=-0.00466

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.

Scottish American Investment Co (The) has a M-score of -3.37 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 -3.37 mean?
Scottish American Investment Co (The) (LSE:SAIN) has a Beneish M-Score of -3.37 as of Jun. 26, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Scottish American Investment Co (The) and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Scottish American Investment Co (The) ranks #111 out of 954 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 11.6%.
Is Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s Beneish M-Score too high?
Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s current Beneish M-Score is -3.37. Based on the distribution chart, Scottish American Investment Co (The) ranks #111 out of 954 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Scottish American Investment Co (The) has a GF Score™ of 37/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s Beneish M-Score compare to BLK and BX?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Scottish American Investment Co (The) ranks #111 out of 954 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Scottish American Investment Co (The) in the top 12% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. 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 Asset Management company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Asset Management 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 Scottish American Investment Co (The) and its competitors. Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s current Beneish M-Score is -3.37. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Scottish American Investment Co (The) stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Scottish American Investment Co (The) (LSE:SAIN) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is £1.27, compared to a current price of £5.36 — trading 322% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -3.37. Scottish American Investment Co (The)'s overall GF Score™ is 37/100 with 5 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 Scottish American Investment Co (The) (LSE:SAIN), the current Beneish M-Score is -3.37 as of Jun. 26, 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 Scottish American Investment Co (The) (LSE:SAIN) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Scottish American Investment Co (The) stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of £5.36 is trading 322% above its estimated GF Value™ of £1.27. GuruFocus considers Scottish American Investment Co (The) to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for LSE:SAIN:

  • Beneish M-Score: -3.37
  • GF Value™: £1.27 vs. price of £5.36 (322% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 37/100 with 5 warning signs

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

Scottish American Investment Co (The) Business Description

Address Calton Square, 1 Greenside Row, Edinburgh, GBR, EH1 3AN
Scottish American Investment Co (The) PLC is an investment trust operating in the UK. Its objective is to deliver real dividend growth by increasing capital and growing income. The company mainly invests in equity markets as well as investments in other financial instruments including bonds, property, and other asset classes. It holds a diversified portfolio of investments irrespective of any pre-defined maximum or minimum exposure levels for asset classes, sectors, or regions. The company focuses on investing in listed equities to grow its assets over the medium to the longer term at a faster rate than inflation. It may use derivatives and structured instruments to hedge an existing investment or currency exposure or to exploit an investment opportunity.
37GF Score

Get the complete analysis for LSE:SAIN

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

£5.36
Price
£1.27
GF Value