Steel Dynamics (STU:SD5) Beneish M-Score: -2.37 (As of Jun. 26, 2026)


STU:SD5 Steel Dynamics Inc STU:SD5
86 GF Score
Price €220.30
GF Value €137.36
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 4 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Steel Dynamics Beneish M-Score?

Steel Dynamics STU:SD5 +3.72% 86 Beneish M-Score is -2.37 as of Jun. 26, 2026. GuruFocus rates STU:SD5 with a GF Score™ of 86/100 and a GF Value™ of €137.36 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 592 Steel companies, Steel Dynamics ranks worse than 59.63% 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 -2.37 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

STU:SD5' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.16   Med: -2.47   Max: -1.3
Current: -2.37

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Steel Dynamics was -1.30. The lowest was -3.16. And the median was -2.47.


Steel Dynamics Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Steel Dynamics'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.

Steel Dynamics Beneish M-Score Chart

Steel Dynamics 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 -1.38 -2.26 -2.79 -2.51 -2.39

Steel Dynamics 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 -2.40 -2.49 -2.35 -2.39 -2.37

STU:SD5 vs RS, NUE, TX: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Steel subindustry, Steel Dynamics'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.


Steel Dynamics Beneish M-Score vs Steel Industry

For the Steel industry and Basic Materials sector, Steel Dynamics's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


STU:SD5
86GF Score
Steel Dynamics Inc STU:SD5
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Steel Dynamics 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 Steel Dynamics 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 * 1.091+0.528 * 0.9542+0.404 * 0.9419+0.892 * 1.0243+0.115 * 0.8999
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9995+4.679 * -0.000249-0.327 * 1.001
=-2.44

* 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 €1,779 Mil.
Revenue was 4502.202 + 3769.597 + 4113.639 + 3957.962 = €16,343 Mil.
Gross Profit was 660.188 + 452.015 + 645.714 + 536.212 = €2,294 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €5,878 Mil.
Total Assets was €14,463 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €7,396 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €496 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €652 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €1,878 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €3,615 Mil.
Net Income was 348.972 + 227.192 + 343.94 + 258.995 = €1,179 Mil.
Non Operating Income was -29.192 + 0.117 + -19.363 + -7.208 = €-56 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was 128.293 + 232.896 + 615.662 + 261.497 = €1,238 Mil.
Total Receivables was €1,592 Mil.
Revenue was 4041.505 + 3697.892 + 3911.795 + 4303.717 = €15,955 Mil.
Gross Profit was 450.053 + 421.856 + 545.301 + 719.824 = €2,137 Mil.
Total Current Assets was €5,750 Mil.
Total Assets was €14,736 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was €7,698 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was €461 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was €637 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was €2,096 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was €3,494 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)
=(1778.815 / 16343.4) / (1591.741 / 15954.909)
=0.10884 / 0.099765
=1.091

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)
=(2137.034 / 15954.909) / (2294.129 / 16343.4)
=0.133942 / 0.14037
=0.9542

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 - (5877.822 + 7395.643) / 14462.989) / (1 - (5750.452 + 7698.453) / 14735.646)
=0.082246 / 0.087322
=0.9419

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
=16343.4 / 15954.909
=1.0243

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))
=(461.434 / (461.434 + 7698.453)) / (495.887 / (495.887 + 7395.643))
=0.056549 / 0.062838
=0.8999

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)
=(652.047 / 16343.4) / (636.86 / 15954.909)
=0.039897 / 0.039916
=0.9995

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)
=((3614.549 + 1877.672) / 14462.989) / ((3493.847 + 2096.474) / 14735.646)
=0.379743 / 0.379374
=1.001

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
=(1179.099 - -55.646 - 1238.348) / 14462.989
=-0.000249

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.

Steel Dynamics has a M-score of -2.44 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 -2.37 mean?
Steel Dynamics (STU:SD5) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.37 as of Jun. 26, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Steel Dynamics and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Steel Dynamics ranks #353 out of 592 companies in the Steel industry, placing it in the top 59.6%.
Is Steel Dynamics' Beneish M-Score too high?
Steel Dynamics' current Beneish M-Score is -2.37. Based on the distribution chart, Steel Dynamics ranks #353 out of 592 companies in the Steel industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Steel Dynamics has a GF Score™ of 86/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Steel Dynamics' Beneish M-Score compare to RS and NUE?
According to the Steel industry distribution chart, Steel Dynamics ranks #353 out of 592 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Steel Dynamics 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 a Steel company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Steel 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 Steel Dynamics and its competitors. Steel Dynamics's current Beneish M-Score is -2.37. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Steel Dynamics stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Steel Dynamics (STU:SD5) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €137.36, compared to a current price of €220.30 — trading 60.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.37. Steel Dynamics' overall GF Score™ is 86/100 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 Steel Dynamics (STU:SD5), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.37 as of Jun. 26, 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 Steel Dynamics (STU:SD5) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Steel Dynamics stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €220.30 is trading 60.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of €137.36. GuruFocus considers Steel Dynamics to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for STU:SD5:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.37
  • GF Value™: €137.36 vs. price of €220.30 (60.4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 86/100 with 4 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:SD5 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Steel Dynamics Business Description

Address 7575 West Jefferson Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN, USA, 46804
Steel Dynamics Inc operates as a domestic steel producer and metal recycler in the United States. The company's product portfolio comprises hot rolled sheet, hot rolled plate, painted sheet products, cold rolled sheet, and others. Its reportable segments are steel operations, metals recycling operations, steel fabrication operations, and aluminum operations. Maximum revenue is generated from its steel operations segment, which consists of manufacturing various steel products and numerous coating operations. Its primary sources of revenue are currently from the manufacture and sale of steel products, the processing and sale of recycled ferrous and nonferrous metals, and the fabrication and sale of steel joists and deck products.
86GF Score

Get the complete analysis for STU:SD5

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

€220.30
Price
€137.36
GF Value