SBI (Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd) Beneish M-Score: -2.09 (As of Jul. 25, 2026)

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SBI Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd Inc SBI
30 GF Score
Price $7.71
! 7 Warning Signs
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What is Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd Beneish M-Score?

Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd SBI -0.26% 30 Beneish M-Score is -2.09 as of Jul. 25, 2026. GuruFocus rates SBI with a GF Score™ of 30/100. The stock has 7 warning signs investors should review. Among 952 Asset Management companies, Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd ranks worse than 56.41% 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 -2.09 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

The historical rank and industry rank for Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:

SBI' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.35   Med: -2.22   Max: -2.09
Current: -2.09

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd was -2.09. The lowest was -2.35. And the median was -2.22.

SBI
30GF Score
Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd Inc SBI
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd 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 Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd 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 * 2.5967+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1+0.892 * 0.3725+0.115 * 1
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 3.0667+4.679 * -0.031447-0.327 * 1.0412
=-2.09

* 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 (Nov25) TTM:Last Year (Nov24) TTM:
Total Receivables was $2.46 Mil.
Revenue was $3.79 Mil.
Gross Profit was $3.79 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.00 Mil.
Total Assets was $171.14 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 $0.69 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.00 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $3.00 Mil.
Net Income was $1.68 Mil.
Gross Profit was $0.00 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was $7.06 Mil.
Total Receivables was $2.54 Mil.
Revenue was $10.17 Mil.
Gross Profit was $10.17 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0.00 Mil.
Total Assets was $178.19 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 $0.60 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0.00 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $3.00 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)
=(2.455 / 3.787) / (2.538 / 10.166)
=0.64827 / 0.249656
=2.5967

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)
=(10.166 / 10.166) / (3.787 / 3.787)
=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) / 171.143) / (1 - (0 + 0) / 178.193)
=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
=3.787 / 10.166
=0.3725

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)
=(0.69 / 3.787) / (0.604 / 10.166)
=0.182202 / 0.059414
=3.0667

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)
=((3 + 0) / 171.143) / ((3 + 0) / 178.193)
=0.017529 / 0.016836
=1.0412

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
=(1.681 - 0 - 7.063) / 171.143
=-0.031447

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.

Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd has a M-score of -2.09 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 -2.09 mean?
Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd (SBI) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.09 as of Jul. 25, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd ranks #537 out of 952 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 56.4%.
Is Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's Beneish M-Score too high?
Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's current Beneish M-Score is -2.09. Based on the distribution chart, Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd ranks #537 out of 952 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd has a GF Score™ of 30/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's Beneish M-Score compare to GLU and ERH?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd ranks #537 out of 952 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd 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 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 Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd and its competitors. Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's current Beneish M-Score is -2.09. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd stock overvalued right now?
Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd (SBI) has a current Beneish M-Score of -2.09. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.09. Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd's overall GF Score™ is 30/100 with 7 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 Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd (SBI), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.09 as of Jul. 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.

Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd Business Description

Address One Madison Avenue, 17th Floor, New York, NY, USA, 10010
Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fd Inc is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The fund's objective is to provide a high level of current income exempt from Federal income taxes. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in municipal obligations. In addition, under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in debt securities that are, at the time of investment, rated investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, of equivalent quality as determined by the investment manager.
30GF Score

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