GURUFOCUS.COM » STOCK LIST » Financial Services » Insurance » Hiscox Ltd (LSE:HSX) » Definitions » Beneish M-Score

Hiscox (LSE:HSX) Beneish M-Score : -1.90 (As of Jun. 02, 2024)


View and export this data going back to 2006. Start your Free Trial

What is Hiscox Beneish M-Score?

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 -1.9 no higher than -1.78, which implies that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.

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

LSE:HSX' s Beneish M-Score Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -3.25   Med: -2.46   Max: -1.9
Current: -1.9

During the past 13 years, the highest Beneish M-Score of Hiscox was -1.90. The lowest was -3.25. And the median was -2.46.


Hiscox 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 Hiscox 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 * 1.0232+0.528 * 1+0.404 * 1.0009+0.892 * 1.2089+0.115 * 0.8455
-0.172 * SGAI+4.679 * TATA-0.327 * LVGI
-0.172 * 0+4.679 * 0.04583-0.327 * 0.9873
=-1.90

* 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 (Dec23) TTM:Last Year (Dec22) TTM:
Total Receivables was £167 Mil.
Revenue was £2,828 Mil.
Gross Profit was £2,828 Mil.
Total Current Assets was £0 Mil.
Total Assets was £8,738 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was £105 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was £61 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was £0 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was £0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was £590 Mil.
Net Income was £562 Mil.
Gross Profit was £-21 Mil.
Cash Flow from Operations was £183 Mil.
Total Receivables was £135 Mil.
Revenue was £2,340 Mil.
Gross Profit was £2,340 Mil.
Total Current Assets was £0 Mil.
Total Assets was £8,508 Mil.
Property, Plant and Equipment(Net PPE) was £109 Mil.
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization(DDA) was £49 Mil.
Selling, General, & Admin. Expense(SGA) was £141 Mil.
Total Current Liabilities was £0 Mil.
Long-Term Debt & Capital Lease Obligation was £582 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)
=(167.164 / 2828.358) / (135.137 / 2339.604)
=0.059103 / 0.057761
=1.0232

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)
=(2339.604 / 2339.604) / (2828.358 / 2828.358)
=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 + 104.833) / 8737.795) / (1 - (0 + 109.275) / 8508.023)
=0.988002 / 0.987156
=1.0009

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
=2828.358 / 2339.604
=1.2089

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))
=(49.26 / (49.26 + 109.275)) / (60.909 / (60.909 + 104.833))
=0.31072 / 0.367493
=0.8455

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)
=(0 / 2828.358) / (140.637 / 2339.604)
=0 / 0.060111
=0

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)
=((589.972 + 0) / 8737.795) / ((581.843 + 0) / 8508.023)
=0.06752 / 0.068388
=0.9873

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
=(562.48 - -21.33 - 183.359) / 8737.795
=0.04583

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.

Hiscox has a M-score of -1.90 suggests that the company is unlikely to be a manipulator.


Hiscox (LSE:HSX) Business Description

Traded in Other Exchanges
Address
96 Pitts Bay Road, Chesney House, Pembroke, BMU, HM 08
Hiscox Ltd is a property and casualty insurance company that operates globally. The company works to build a balance between catastrophe-exposed business and less volatile local specialty businesses. It generates most of its revenue through reinsurance, local casualty, and commercial insurance lines. The company's risk management strategy involves a strong underwriting discipline, diversification, and sound capital management. Hiscox's retail operations comprise half of the overall gross written premiums.