NWN (Northwest Natural Holding Co) Beneish M-Score: -2.56 (As of Jun. 25, 2026)


NWN Northwest Natural Holding Co NWN
70 GF Score
Price $50.53
GF Value $42.33
Valuation Modestly Overvalued
! 12 Warning Signs
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What is Northwest Natural Holding Co Beneish M-Score?

Northwest Natural Holding Co NWN +1.24% 70 Beneish M-Score is -2.56 as of Jun. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates NWN with a GF Score™ of 70/100 and a GF Value™ of $42.33 (Modestly Overvalued). The stock has 12 warning signs investors should review. Among 485 Utilities - Regulated companies, Northwest Natural Holding Co ranks worse than 52.78% 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 -2.56 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

NWN' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.34   Med: -2.57   Max: -1.9
Current: -2.56

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Northwest Natural Holding Co was -1.90. The lowest was -3.34. And the median was -2.57.


Northwest Natural Holding Co Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Northwest Natural Holding Co'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.

Northwest Natural Holding Co Beneish M-Score Chart

Northwest Natural Holding Co 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 -2.42 -1.94 -2.79 -2.55 -2.68

Northwest Natural Holding Co 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 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 -2.48 -2.36 -2.38 -2.68 -2.56

NWN vs SPH, CPK, CTRI: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Utilities - Regulated Gas subindustry, Northwest Natural Holding Co'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.


Northwest Natural Holding Co Beneish M-Score vs Utilities - Regulated Industry

For the Utilities - Regulated industry and Utilities sector, Northwest Natural Holding Co's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Northwest Natural Holding Co's Beneish M-Score falls into.


NWN
70GF Score
Northwest Natural Holding Co NWN
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Northwest Natural Holding 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 Northwest Natural Holding 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 * 0.9308+0.528 * 0.8972+0.404 * 1.1225+0.892 * 1.059+0.115 * 0.9441
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 1+4.679 * -0.012787-0.327 * 0.9828
=-2.56

* 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 (Mar26) TTM:Last Year (Mar25) TTM:
Total Receivables was $207 Mil.
Revenue was 490.403 + 394.157 + 164.728 + 236.194 = $1,285 Mil.
Gross Profit was 231.045 + 172.863 + 42.846 + 84.343 = $531 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $584 Mil.
Total Assets was $6,419 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $4,610 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $194 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $6 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $731 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $2,347 Mil.
Net Income was 97.489 + 57.793 + -29.89 + -2.5 = $123 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0.512 + -1.953 + 0.929 + -0.16 = $-1 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 116.127 + 3.272 + -15.918 + 102.16 = $206 Mil.
Total Receivables was $210 Mil.
Revenue was 494.284 + 370.876 + 136.934 + 211.714 = $1,214 Mil.
Gross Profit was 218.205 + 138.316 + 28.817 + 64.583 = $450 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $540 Mil.
Total Assets was $5,707 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $4,197 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $166 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $0 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $514 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $2,270 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)
=(207.271 / 1285.482) / (210.255 / 1213.808)
=0.16124 / 0.173219
=0.9308

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)
=(449.921 / 1213.808) / (531.097 / 1285.482)
=0.370669 / 0.41315
=0.8972

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 - (584.12 + 4610.022) / 6418.967) / (1 - (539.9 + 4196.919) / 5706.892)
=0.190813 / 0.169983
=1.1225

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
=1285.482 / 1213.808
=1.059

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))
=(166.286 / (166.286 + 4196.919)) / (193.927 / (193.927 + 4610.022))
=0.038111 / 0.040368
=0.9441

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)
=(6.325 / 1285.482) / (0 / 1213.808)
=0.00492 / 0
=1

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)
=((2347.362 + 730.528) / 6418.967) / ((2270.297 + 513.956) / 5706.892)
=0.479499 / 0.487876
=0.9828

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
=(122.892 - -0.672 - 205.641) / 6418.967
=-0.012787

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.

Northwest Natural Holding Co has a M-score of -2.56 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 -2.56 mean?
Northwest Natural Holding Co (NWN) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.56 as of Jun. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Northwest Natural Holding Co and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Northwest Natural Holding Co ranks #256 out of 485 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, placing it in the top 52.8%.
Is Northwest Natural Holding Co's Beneish M-Score too high?
Northwest Natural Holding Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Based on the distribution chart, Northwest Natural Holding Co ranks #256 out of 485 companies in the Utilities - Regulated industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Northwest Natural Holding Co has a GF Score™ of 70/100 and is considered Modestly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Northwest Natural Holding Co's Beneish M-Score compare to SPH and CPK?
According to the Utilities - Regulated industry distribution chart, Northwest Natural Holding Co ranks #256 out of 485 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Northwest Natural Holding 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 Utilities - Regulated company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Utilities - Regulated 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 Northwest Natural Holding Co and its competitors. Northwest Natural Holding Co's current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Northwest Natural Holding Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Northwest Natural Holding Co (NWN) is currently considered Modestly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $42.33, compared to a current price of $50.53 — trading 19.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.56. Northwest Natural Holding Co's overall GF Score™ is 70/100 with 12 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 Northwest Natural Holding Co (NWN), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.56 as of Jun. 25, 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 Northwest Natural Holding Co (NWN) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Northwest Natural Holding Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of $50.53 is trading 19.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $42.33. GuruFocus considers Northwest Natural Holding Co to be Modestly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for NWN:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.56
  • GF Value™: $42.33 vs. price of $50.53 (19.4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 70/100 with 12 warning signs

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


Northwest Natural Holding Co Business Description

Other Exchanges NN3:Germany
Address 250 S.W. Taylor Street, Portland, OR, USA, 97204
Northwest Natural Holding Co is a public natural gas service supplier operating in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Its subsidiary, NW Natural, operates through the natural gas distribution segment, which purchases and distributes natural gas through which operates in Oregon and southwest Washington. The company operates in three reportable business segments, which are NWN Gas Utility, SiEnergy, and NWN Water. The company generates maximum revenue from NWN Gas Utility segment. It also generates revenue from residential, commercial, and industrial customers, the majority of which are in Oregon. Residential and commercial customers account for the vast majority of profitability.
70GF Score

Get the complete analysis for NWN

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

$50.53
Price
$42.33
GF Value