ZLAB (Zai Lab) Altman Z-Score: -0.05 (As of Jun. 26, 2026)


ZLAB Zai Lab Ltd ZLAB
64 GF Score
Price $18.52
GF Value $30.30
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 8 Warning Signs
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What is Zai Lab Altman Z-Score?

Zai Lab ZLAB +0.76% 64 Altman Z-Score is -0.05 as of Jun. 26, 2026. GuruFocus rates ZLAB with a GF Score™ of 64/100 and a GF Value™ of $30.30 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 8 warning signs investors should review. Among 934 Biotechnology companies, Zai Lab ranks worse than 67.13% on this metric.

The Altman Z-Score is a model designed to predict the likelihood of a company going bankrupt within the next two years. Created by American finance professor Edward Altman in 1968, the model is specifically designed for publicly traded manufacturing companies with assets greater than $1 million.

Warning Sign:

Altman Z-score of -0.05 is in distress zone. This implies bankruptcy possibility in the next two years.

Zai Lab has a Altman Z-Score of -0.05, indicating it is in Distress Zones. This implies bankrupcy possibility in the next two years.

The zones of discrimination were as such:

When Altman Z-Score <= 1.8, it is in Distress Zones.
When Altman Z-Score >= 3, it is in Safe Zones.
When Altman Z-Score is between 1.8 and 3, it is in Grey Zones.

The historical rank and industry rank for Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score or its related term are showing as below:

ZLAB' s Altman Z-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -0.05   Med: 3.72   Max: 56.84
Current: -0.05

During the past 11 years, Zai Lab's highest Altman Z-Score was 56.84. The lowest was -0.05. And the median was 3.72.


Zai Lab  (NAS:ZLAB) Altman Z-Score Explanation

X1: The Working Capital/Total Assets (WC/TA) ratio is a measure of the net liquid assets of the firm relative to the total capitalization. Working capital is defined as the difference between current assets and current liabilities. Ordinarily, a firm experiencing consistent operating losses will have shrinking current assets in relation to total assets. Altman found this one proved to be the most valuable liquidity ratio comparing with the current ratio and the quick ratio. This is however the least significant of the five factors.

X2: Retained Earnings/Total Assets: the RE/TA ratio measures the leverage of a firm. Retained earnings is the account which reports the total amount of reinvested earnings and/or losses of a firm over its entire life. Those firms with high RE, relative to TA, have financed their assets through retention of profits and have not utilized as much debt.

X3, Earnings Before Interest and Taxes/Total Assets (EBIT/TA): This ratio is a measure of the true productivity of the firm's assets, independent of any tax or leverage factors. Since a firm's ultimate existence is based on the earning power of its assets, this ratio appears to be particularly appropriate for studies dealing with corporate failure. This ratio continually outperforms other profitability measures, including cash flow.

X4, Market Value of Equity/Book Value of Total Liabilities (MVE/TL): The measure shows how much the firm's assets can decline in value (measured by market value of equity plus debt) before the liabilities exceed the assets and the firm becomes insolvent.

X5, Revenue/Total Assets (S/TA): The capital-turnover ratio is a standard financial ratio illustrating the sales generating ability of the firm's assets.

Read more about Altman Z-Score and the original research.


Be Aware

Altman Z-Score does not apply to financial companies.


Zai Lab Altman Z-Score Related Terms


Zai Lab Altman Z-Score Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Zai Lab's Altman Z-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.

Zai Lab Altman Z-Score Chart

Zai Lab Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Altman Z-Score
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 14.05 7.94 3.72 2.40 -0.05

Zai Lab Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Altman Z-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 3.89 3.64 3.02 -0.05 -0.04

ZLAB vs TYRA, TRVI, OCUL: Altman Z-Score Comparison

For the Biotechnology subindustry, Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Altman Z-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.


Zai Lab Altman Z-Score vs Biotechnology Industry

For the Biotechnology industry and Healthcare sector, Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score falls into.


ZLAB
64GF Score
Zai Lab Ltd ZLAB
Altman Z-Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Zai Lab Altman Z-Score Calculation

Altman Z-Score model is an accurate forecaster of failure up to two years prior to distress. It can be considered the assessment of the distress of industrial corporations.

Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score for today is calculated with this formula:

Z=1.2*X1+1.4*X2+3.3*X3+0.6*X4+1.0*X5
=1.2*0.5035+1.4*-2.4455+3.3*-0.1587+0.6*4.8053+1.0*0.4137
=-0.05

* 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. GuruFocus does not calculate Altman Z-Score when X4 or X5 value is 0.

Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026:
Total Assets was $1,095.7 Mil.
Total Current Assets was $944.7 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was $393.0 Mil.
Retained Earnings was $-2,679.6 Mil.
Pre-Tax Income was -49.576 + -53.336 + -35.963 + -40.727 = $-179.6 Mil.
Interest Expense was -1.637 + -1.361 + -1.4 + -1.262 = $-5.7 Mil.
Revenue was 99.611 + 127.597 + 116.095 + 109.977 = $453.3 Mil.
Market Cap (Today) was $2,084.3 Mil.
Total Liabilities was $433.8 Mil.

* Note that for stock reported semi-annually or annually, GuruFocus uses latest annual data as the TTM data.

X1=Working Capital/Total Assets
=(Total Current Assets - Total Current Liabilities)/Total Assets
=(944.729 - 392.982)/1095.737
=0.5035

X2=Retained Earnings/Total Assets
=-2679.636/1095.737
=-2.4455

X3=Earnings Before Interest and Taxes/Total Assets
=(Pre-Tax Income - Interest Expense)/Total Assets
=(-179.602 - -5.66)/1095.737
=-0.1587

X4=Market Value Equity/Book Value of Total Liabilities
=Market Cap/Total Liabilities
=2084.308/433.756
=4.8053

X5=Revenue/Total Assets
=453.28/1095.737
=0.4137

The zones of discrimination were as such:

Distress Zones - 1.81 < Grey Zones < 2.99 - Safe Zones

Zai Lab has a Altman Z-Score of -0.05 indicating it is in Distress Zones.

Study by Altman found that companies that are in Distress Zone have more than 80% of chances of bankruptcy in two years.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Altman Z-Score →
What does a Altman Z-Score of -0.05 mean?
Zai Lab (ZLAB) has a Altman Z-Score of -0.05 as of Jun. 26, 2026. The Altman Z-score measures a company's bankruptcy risk. View historical data on Zai Lab and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Zai Lab ranks #627 out of 934 companies in the Biotechnology industry, placing it in the top 67.1%.
Is Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score too high?
Zai Lab's current Altman Z-Score is -0.05. Based on the distribution chart, Zai Lab ranks #627 out of 934 companies in the Biotechnology industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Zai Lab has a GF Score™ of 64/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Zai Lab's Altman Z-Score compare to TYRA and TRVI?
According to the Biotechnology industry distribution chart, Zai Lab ranks #627 out of 934 companies for Altman Z-Score. This places Zai Lab in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Altman Z-Score is 2.63. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Altman Z-Score for a Biotechnology company?
The median Altman Z-Score among Biotechnology companies is 2.63, based on 934 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Altman Z-Score significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Altman Z-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 Altman Z-Score mean?
A high Altman Z-Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The Altman Z-score measures a company's bankruptcy risk. View historical data on Zai Lab and its competitors. For the Biotechnology industry, the median Altman Z-Score is 2.63 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Zai Lab's current Altman Z-Score is -0.05. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Zai Lab stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Zai Lab (ZLAB) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $30.30, compared to a current price of $18.52 — trading 38.9% below its estimated fair value. The current Altman Z-Score is -0.05. Zai Lab's overall GF Score™ is 64/100 with 8 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Altman Z-Score calculated?
Altman Z-Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Zai Lab (ZLAB), the current Altman Z-Score is -0.05 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 Zai Lab (ZLAB) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Zai Lab stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $18.52 is trading 38.9% below its estimated GF Value™ of $30.30. GuruFocus considers Zai Lab to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for ZLAB:

  • Altman Z-Score: -0.05
  • GF Value™: $30.30 vs. price of $18.52 (38.9% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 64/100 with 8 warning signs

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


Zai Lab Business Description

Other Exchanges 09688:Hong Kong1ZLB:Germany
Address 899 Halei Road, Building B, Pudong, Shanghai, CHN, 201203
Zai Lab Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering or licensing, developing, and commercializing proprietary therapeutics that address areas of unmet medical need including in the fields of oncology, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Zai Lab has a diverse pipeline of potentially first-in-class product candidates developed through in-house R&D and global partnerships. The company has successfully commercialized several products in China, including Zejula, Optune, Qinlock, and Nuzyra, with plans for further expansion The pipeline of proprietary drug candidates of the company includes ZL-1222, ZL-1311, ZL-6201 and many others.
64GF Score

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

$18.52
Price
$30.30
GF Value