SLMAF (Sanlam) Beneish M-Score: -2.12 (As of Jun. 24, 2026)


SLMAF Sanlam Ltd SLMAF
84 GF Score
Price $3.48
GF Value $4.47
! 2 Warning Signs
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What is Sanlam Beneish M-Score?

Sanlam SLMAF 84 Beneish M-Score is -2.12 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus rates SLMAF with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of $4.47. The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 399 Insurance companies, Sanlam ranks worse than 79.7% 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 -2.12 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

SLMAF' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.68   Med: -2.41   Max: -1.76
Current: -2.12

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Sanlam was -1.76. The lowest was -2.68. And the median was -2.41.

SLMAF
84GF Score
Sanlam Ltd SLMAF
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Sanlam 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 Sanlam 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 * 1.0993+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1.0005+0.892 * 1.3156+0.115 * 0.9243
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.8446+4.679 * 0.007015-0.327 * 0.9203
=-2.03

* 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 $1,113 Mil.
Revenue was $16,592 Mil.
Gross Profit was $16,592 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0 Mil.
Total Assets was $76,975 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $233 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $88 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $1,491 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $863 Mil.
Net Income was $947 Mil.
Gross Profit was $263 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was $144 Mil.
 Total Receivables was $770 Mil.
Revenue was $12,612 Mil.
Gross Profit was $12,612 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $0 Mil.
Total Assets was $62,220 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was $219 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was $75 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was $1,342 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was $758 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)
=(1113.309 / 16591.931) / (769.78 / 12611.619)
=0.067099 / 0.061037
=1.0993

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)
=(12611.619 / 12611.619) / (16591.931 / 16591.931)
=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 + 233.177) / 76975.055) / (1 - (0 + 219.396) / 62220.417)
=0.996971 / 0.996474
=1.0005

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
=16591.931 / 12611.619
=1.3156

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))
=(74.541 / (74.541 + 219.396)) / (88.162 / (88.162 + 233.177))
=0.253595 / 0.274358
=0.9243

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)
=(1491.264 / 16591.931) / (1342.065 / 12611.619)
=0.089879 / 0.106415
=0.8446

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)
=((863.379 + 0) / 76975.055) / ((758.308 + 0) / 62220.417)
=0.011216 / 0.012187
=0.9203

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
=(947.026 - 262.822 - 144.243) / 76975.055
=0.007015

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.

Sanlam has a M-score of -2.03 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 -2.12 mean?
Sanlam (SLMAF) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.12 as of Jun. 24, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Sanlam and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Sanlam ranks #318 out of 399 companies in the Insurance industry, placing it in the top 79.7%.
Is Sanlam's Beneish M-Score too high?
Sanlam's current Beneish M-Score is -2.12. Based on the distribution chart, Sanlam ranks #318 out of 399 companies in the Insurance industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Sanlam has a GF Score™ of 84/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Sanlam's Beneish M-Score compare to AFL and MET?
According to the Insurance industry distribution chart, Sanlam ranks #318 out of 399 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Sanlam 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 Insurance company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Insurance 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 Sanlam and its competitors. Sanlam's current Beneish M-Score is -2.12. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Sanlam stock overvalued right now?
Sanlam (SLMAF) has a current Beneish M-Score of -2.12. The stock's GF Value™ is $4.47, compared to a current price of $3.48 — trading 22.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.12. Sanlam's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 2 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 Sanlam (SLMAF), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.12 as of Jun. 24, 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 Sanlam (SLMAF) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Sanlam stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $3.48 is trading 22.2% below its estimated GF Value™ of $4.47.

Key valuation signals for SLMAF:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.12
  • GF Value™: $4.47 vs. price of $3.48 (22.2% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 84/100 with 2 warning signs

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

Sanlam Business Description

Address 2 Strand Road, Bellville, ZAF, 7530
Sanlam Ltd sells insurance products and provides investment and wealth management services. Its operating segments include Sanlam Life and Savings, Pan-Africa, Asia, Sanlam Investments, and Santam. It operates in South Africa, Pan-Africa, Asia, and International.
84GF Score

Get the complete analysis for SLMAF

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

$3.48
Price
$4.47
GF Value