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Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Value LineVALU +2.16%72 Beneish M-Score is -3.04 as of Aug. 06, 2026. GuruFocus rates VALU with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of $36.23 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 703 Capital Markets companies, Value Line ranks better than 83.21% 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 -3.04 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
The historical rank and industry rank for Value Line's Beneish M-Score or its related term are showing as below:
VALU'
s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.7 Med: -3.12 Max: -0.61
Current: -3.04
During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Value Line was -0.61. The lowest was -3.70. And the median was -3.12.
The historical data trend for Value Line'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.
VALU vs DTCX, OTCM, MKTW: Beneish M-Score Comparison
For the Financial Data & Stock Exchanges subindustry, Value Line'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.
Value Line Beneish M-Score vs Capital Markets Industry
For the Capital Markets industry and Financial Services sector, Value Line's Beneish M-Score distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Value Line's Beneish M-Score falls into.
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 Value Line 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 * 1.1277
+
0.528 * 1.0305
+
0.404 * 0.9413
+
0.892 * 0.9535
+
0.115 * 0.7308
-
0.172 * SGAI
+
4.679 * TATA
-
0.327 * LVGI
-
0.172 * 1.0783
+
4.679 * -0.133587
-
0.327 * 0.867
=
-3.04
* 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.
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.
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))
=
(1.271 / (1.271 + 3.475))
/
(1.295 / (1.295 + 2.239))
=
0.267804
/
0.36644
=
0.7308
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
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
=
(21.63 - 23.341
-
18.583)
/
151.916
=
-0.133587
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.
Value Line has a M-score of -3.04 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.
Value Line (VALU) has a Beneish M-Score of -3.04 as of Aug. 06, 2026. The Beneish M-score measures the likelihood of earnings manipulation. View historical data on Value Line and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Value Line ranks #118 out of 703 companies in the Capital Markets industry, placing it in the top 16.8%.
Is Value Line's Beneish M-Score too high?
Value Line's current Beneish M-Score is -3.04. Based on the distribution chart, Value Line ranks #118 out of 703 companies in the Capital Markets industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Value Line has a GF Score™ of 72/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Value Line's Beneish M-Score compare to DTCX and OTCM?
According to the Capital Markets industry distribution chart, Value Line ranks #118 out of 703 companies for Beneish M-Score. This places Value Line in the top 17% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. 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 Capital Markets company?
A good Beneish M-Score depends on the Capital Markets 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 Value Line and its competitors. Value Line's current Beneish M-Score is -3.04. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Value Line stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Value Line (VALU) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $36.23, compared to a current price of $36.00 — trading 0.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Beneish M-Score is -3.04. Value Line's overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 3 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 Value Line (VALU), the current Beneish M-Score is -3.04 as of Aug. 06, 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 Value Line (VALU) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Value Line stock appears to be undervalued.
The current stock price of $36.00 is trading 0.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $36.23.
GuruFocus considers Value Line to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for VALU:
Beneish M-Score: -3.04
GF Value™: $36.23 vs. price of $36.00 (0.6% below fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the VALU stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Value Line Inc is a U.S based company. It produces investment periodicals based on underlying research and making available copyright data, including ranking system and other information, to third parties under written agreements for use in third-party managed and marketed investment products and for other purposes. The company markets under brands including Value Line, the Value Line logo, The Value Line Investment Survey, Smart Research, Smarter Investing and a trusted name in Investment Research. Its only operating segment being Publishing.
72GF Score
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