Kao (TSE:4452) Beneish M-Score: -2.32 (As of Jun. 27, 2026)


TSE:4452 Kao Corp TSE:4452
71 GF Score
Price 円3,272.00
GF Value 円6,751.44
Valuation Significantly Undervalued
! 4 Warning Signs
View Full Analysis

What is Kao Beneish M-Score?

Kao TSE:4452 +4.85% 71 Beneish M-Score is -2.32 as of Jun. 27, 2026. GuruFocus rates TSE:4452 with a GF Score™ of 71/100 and a GF Value™ of 円6,751.44 (Significantly Undervalued). The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,849 Consumer Packaged Goods companies, Kao ranks worse than 64.68% 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 -2.32 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

TSE:4452' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -2.91   Med: -2.67   Max: -2.28
Current: -2.32

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Kao was -2.28. The lowest was -2.91. And the median was -2.67.


Kao Beneish M-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Kao'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.

Kao Beneish M-Score Chart

Kao 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 -2.55 -2.43 -2.89 -2.70 -2.40

Kao 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 -2.72 -2.74 -2.59 -2.40 -2.32

TSE:4452 vs PG, CL, KVUE: Beneish M-Score Comparison

For the Household & Personal Products subindustry, Kao'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.


Kao Beneish M-Score vs Consumer Packaged Goods Industry

For the Consumer Packaged Goods industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Kao's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:

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


TSE:4452
71GF Score
Kao Corp TSE:4452
Beneish M-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Kao 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 Kao 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 * 1.0617+0.528 * 0.991+0.404 * 0.9897+0.892 * 1.036+0.115 * 1.3372
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0.9909+4.679 * 0.008034-0.327 * 0.9894
=-2.32

* 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 円241,581 Mil.
Revenue was 413224 + 456599 + 423012 + 419165 = 円1,712,000 Mil.
Gross Profit was 158698 + 186834 + 169509 + 163848 = 円678,889 Mil.
Total Current Assets was 円870,207 Mil.
Total Assets was 円1,831,159 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was 円548,491 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was 円64,819 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was 円513,794 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was 円495,014 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was 円168,140 Mil.
Net Income was 30999 + 35362 + 35088 + 26781 = 円128,230 Mil.
Non Operating Income was 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 円0 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was -16757 + 0 + 66750 + 63526 = 円113,519 Mil.
Total Receivables was 円219,633 Mil.
Revenue was 389857 + 438437 + 402024 + 422191 = 円1,652,509 Mil.
Gross Profit was 147978 + 179118 + 155628 + 166694 = 円649,418 Mil.
Total Current Assets was 円836,125 Mil.
Total Assets was 円1,773,478 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was 円533,729 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was 円87,842 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was 円500,506 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was 円449,245 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was 円199,880 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)
=(241581 / 1712000) / (219633 / 1652509)
=0.14111 / 0.132909
=1.0617

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)
=(649418 / 1652509) / (678889 / 1712000)
=0.392989 / 0.396547
=0.991

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 - (870207 + 548491) / 1831159) / (1 - (836125 + 533729) / 1773478)
=0.225246 / 0.227589
=0.9897

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
=1712000 / 1652509
=1.036

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))
=(87842 / (87842 + 533729)) / (64819 / (64819 + 548491))
=0.141323 / 0.105687
=1.3372

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)
=(513794 / 1712000) / (500506 / 1652509)
=0.300113 / 0.302876
=0.9909

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)
=((168140 + 495014) / 1831159) / ((199880 + 449245) / 1773478)
=0.36215 / 0.366018
=0.9894

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
=(128230 - 0 - 113519) / 1831159
=0.008034

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.

Kao has a M-score of -2.32 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 -2.32 mean?
Kao (TSE:4452) has a Beneish M-Score of -2.32 as of Jun. 27, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Kao and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Kao ranks #1196 out of 1849 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, placing it in the top 64.7%.
Is Kao's Beneish M-Score too high?
Kao's current Beneish M-Score is -2.32. Based on the distribution chart, Kao ranks #1196 out of 1849 companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Kao has a GF Score™ of 71/100 and is considered Significantly Undervalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kao's Beneish M-Score compare to PG and CL?
According to the Consumer Packaged Goods industry distribution chart, Kao ranks #1196 out of 1849 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Kao 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 Consumer Packaged Goods company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Consumer Packaged Goods 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 Kao and its competitors. Kao's current Beneish M-Score is -2.32. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kao stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kao (TSE:4452) is currently considered Significantly Undervalued. The stock's GF Value™ is 円6,751.44, compared to a current price of 円3,272.00 — trading 51.5% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -2.32. Kao's overall GF Score™ is 71/100 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 Kao (TSE:4452), the current Beneish M-Score is -2.32 as of Jun. 27, 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 Kao (TSE:4452) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Kao stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of 円3,272.00 is trading 51.5% below its estimated GF Value™ of 円6,751.44. GuruFocus considers Kao to be Significantly Undervalued.

Key valuation signals for TSE:4452:

  • Beneish M-Score: -2.32
  • GF Value™: 円6,751.44 vs. price of 円3,272.00 (51.5% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 71/100 with 4 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the TSE:4452 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Kao Business Description

Address 14-10, Nihonbashi Kayabacho 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, JPN, 103-8210
Kao is the largest household and personal care product manufacturer in Japan, with a footprint across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Japan remains its largest market, contributing about 50% of sales and operating profits with several leading brands, including Attack and Bioré. Initially a soap producer established in the 1890s, Kao has expanded into cosmetics, disposable hygiene products, and chemicals, in addition to its homecare and toiletry products. Asia, the largest overseas market, contributes around 15% of group sales. Kao has also acquired several Western skin- and haircare brands, including Jergens, John Frieda, Curél, Molton Brown, and the latest, Oribe.
71GF Score

Get the complete analysis for TSE:4452

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

円3,272.00
Price
円6,751.44
GF Value