MRNA (Moderna) Beneish M-Score: -3.83 (As of Aug. 09, 2026)

Author: Vera Yuan Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Vera Yuan
Director of Data and Quant Analytics at GuruFocus
Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Reviewed by: Charlie Tian Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Charlie Tian
Founder & CEO of GuruFocus
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.

MRNA Moderna Inc MRNA
59 GF Score
Price $59.17
GF Value $24.14
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 4 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Moderna Beneish M-Score?

Moderna MRNA +9.86% 59 Beneish M-Score is -3.83 as of Aug. 09, 2026. GuruFocus rates MRNA with a GF Score™ of 59/100 and a GF Value™ of $24.14 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 821 Biotechnology companies, Moderna ranks better than 87.82% 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 -3.83 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

MRNA' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.83   Med: -2.27   Max: 172.29
Current: -3.83

During the past 10 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Moderna was 172.29. The lowest was -3.83. And the median was -2.27.


Moderna Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Moderna'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.

Moderna Beneish M-Score Chart

Moderna 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 54.44 -2.04 -2.61 -3.13 -3.53

Moderna Quarterly Data
Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26 Jun26
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 -2.13 -2.51 -3.53 -3.07 -3.83

MRNA vs BNTX, INSM, INCY: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Biotechnology subindustry, Moderna'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.


Moderna Beneish M-Score vs Biotechnology Industry

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

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


MRNA
59GF Score
Moderna Inc MRNA
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Moderna 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 Moderna 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 * 0.4205+0.528 * 2.291+0.404 * 0.8968+0.892 * 0.7234+0.115 * 0.8272
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 1.2421+4.679 * -0.188943-0.327 * 1.8193
=-3.83

* 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 $139 Mil.
Revenue was 143 + 389 + 676 + 1002 = $2,210 Mil.
Gross Profit was 50 + -566 + 224 + 795 = $503 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $5,815 Mil.
Total Assets was $10,961 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $2,756 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $241 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $965 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $2,534 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $1,235 Mil.
Net Income was -782 + -1343 + -826 + -200 = $-3,151 Mil.
Non Operating Income was -2 + -1 + -4 + 0 = $-7 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was -526 + -630 + 930 + -847 = $-1,073 Mil.
Total Receivables was $457 Mil.
Revenue was 137 + 107 + 956 + 1855 = $3,055 Mil.
Gross Profit was 18 + 17 + 217 + 1341 = $1,593 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $6,171 Mil.
Total Assets was $12,010 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $2,919 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $208 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $1,074 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $1,572 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $698 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)
=(139 / 2210) / (457 / 3055)
=0.062896 / 0.149591
=0.4205

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)
=(1593 / 3055) / (503 / 2210)
=0.52144 / 0.227602
=2.291

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 - (5815 + 2756) / 10961) / (1 - (6171 + 2919) / 12010)
=0.218046 / 0.243131
=0.8968

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
=2210 / 3055
=0.7234

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))
=(208 / (208 + 2919)) / (241 / (241 + 2756))
=0.066517 / 0.080414
=0.8272

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)
=(965 / 2210) / (1074 / 3055)
=0.436652 / 0.351555
=1.2421

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)
=((1235 + 2534) / 10961) / ((698 + 1572) / 12010)
=0.343855 / 0.189009
=1.8193

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
=(-3151 - -7 - -1073) / 10961
=-0.188943

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.

Moderna has a M-score of -3.83 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 -3.83 mean?
Moderna (MRNA) has a Beneish M-Score of -3.83 as of Aug. 09, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Moderna and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Moderna ranks #100 out of 821 companies in the Biotechnology industry, placing it in the top 12.2%.
Is Moderna's Beneish M-Score too high?
Moderna's current Beneish M-Score is -3.83. Based on the distribution chart, Moderna ranks #100 out of 821 companies in the Biotechnology industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Moderna has a GF Score™ of 59/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Moderna's Beneish M-Score compare to BNTX and INSM?
According to the Biotechnology industry distribution chart, Moderna ranks #100 out of 821 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Moderna 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 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 Moderna and its competitors. Moderna's current Beneish M-Score is -3.83. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Moderna stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Moderna (MRNA) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $24.14, compared to a current price of $59.17 — trading 145.1% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -3.83. Moderna's overall GF Score™ is 59/100 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 Moderna (MRNA), the current Beneish M-Score is -3.83 as of Aug. 09, 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 Moderna (MRNA) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Moderna stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $59.17 is trading 145.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of $24.14. GuruFocus considers Moderna to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for MRNA:

  • Beneish M-Score: -3.83
  • GF Value™: $24.14 vs. price of $59.17 (145.1% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 59/100 with 4 warning signs

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


Moderna Business Description

Address 325 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, USA, 02142
Moderna is a commercial-stage biotech that was founded in 2010 and had its initial public offering in December 2018. The firm's mRNA technology was rapidly validated with its covid vaccine, which was authorized in the United States in December 2020. Moderna had 35 mRNA development candidates in clinical studies as of August 2025. Programs span a wide range of therapeutic areas, including infectious disease, oncology, cardiovascular disease, and rare genetic diseases.
59GF Score

Get the complete analysis for MRNA

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

$59.17
Price
$24.14
GF Value