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Wells Fargo (MEX:WFC) Beneish M-Score : -2.59 (As of Mar. 29, 2025)


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What is Wells Fargo Beneish M-Score?

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 -2.59 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

MEX:WFC' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.6   Med: -2.46   Max: -2.25
Current: -2.59

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Wells Fargo was -2.25. The lowest was -2.60. And the median was -2.46.


Wells Fargo 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 Wells Fargo 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 * 0.897+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 0.9994+0.892 * 1.0799+0.115 * 1
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 1.0005+4.679 * 0.006668-0.327 * 0.8349
=-2.42

* 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 (Dec24) TTM:Last Year (Dec23) TTM:
Total Receivables was MXN883,364 Mil.
Revenue was 424997.454 + 401012.65 + 379024.611 + 346247.668 = MXN1,551,282 Mil.
Gross Profit was 424997.454 + 401012.65 + 379024.611 + 346247.668 = MXN1,551,282 Mil.
Total Current Assets was MXN0 Mil.
Total Assets was MXN40,248,268 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was MXN405,289 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was MXN142,801 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was MXN698,455 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was MXN0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was MXN3,609,663 Mil.
Net Income was 105926.1 + 100696.194 + 89951.706 + 76658.102 = MXN373,232 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = MXN0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 185699.153 + 82817.402 + 37556.211 + -201229.592 = MXN104,843 Mil.
Total Receivables was MXN911,924 Mil.
Revenue was 347598.65 + 363305.935 + 352015.699 + 373640.225 = MXN1,436,561 Mil.
Gross Profit was 347598.65 + 363305.935 + 352015.699 + 373640.225 = MXN1,436,561 Mil.
Total Current Assets was MXN0 Mil.
Total Assets was MXN32,802,191 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was MXN309,542 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was MXN109,063 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was MXN646,469 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was MXN0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was MXN3,523,650 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)
=(883364.029 / 1551282.383) / (911924.499 / 1436560.509)
=0.569441 / 0.634797
=0.897

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)
=(1436560.509 / 1436560.509) / (1551282.383 / 1551282.383)
=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 + 405288.818) / 40248268.338) / (1 - (0 + 309542.386) / 32802191.064)
=0.98993 / 0.990563
=0.9994

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
=1551282.383 / 1436560.509
=1.0799

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))
=(109062.574 / (109062.574 + 309542.386)) / (142801.345 / (142801.345 + 405288.818))
=0.260538 / 0.260544
=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)
=(698455.482 / 1551282.383) / (646469.044 / 1436560.509)
=0.450244 / 0.450012
=1.0005

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)
=((3609662.842 + 0) / 40248268.338) / ((3523650.192 + 0) / 32802191.064)
=0.089685 / 0.107421
=0.8349

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
=(373232.102 - 0 - 104843.174) / 40248268.338
=0.006668

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.

Wells Fargo has a M-score of -2.42 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.


Wells Fargo Beneish M-Score Related Terms

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Wells Fargo Business Description

Address
420 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA, USA, 94104
Wells Fargo is one of the largest banks in the United States, with approximately $1.9 trillion in balance sheet assets. The company has four primary segments: consumer banking, commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth and investment management. It is almost entirely focused on the US.