United Natural Foods Stock Beneish M Score

UNFI Stock  USD 26.19  0.12  0.46%   
This module uses fundamental data of United Natural to approximate the value of its Beneish M Score. United Natural M Score tells investors if the company management is likely to be manipulating earnings. The score is calculated using eight financial indicators that are adjusted by a specific multiplier. Please note, the M Score is a probabilistic model and cannot detect companies that manipulate their earnings with 100% accuracy. Check out United Natural Piotroski F Score and United Natural Altman Z Score analysis.
  
As of now, United Natural's Long Term Debt Total is increasing as compared to previous years. The United Natural's current Debt To Equity is estimated to increase to 2.38, while Short Term Debt is projected to decrease to under 130.2 M. As of now, United Natural's Operating Cash Flow Per Share is increasing as compared to previous years. The United Natural's current Capex To Depreciation is estimated to increase to 2.13, while Price To Sales Ratio is projected to decrease to 0.07.
At this time, United Natural's M Score is unavailable. The earnings manipulation may begin if United Natural's top management creates an artificial sense of financial success, forcing the stock price to be traded at a high price-earnings multiple than it should be. In general, excessive earnings management by United Natural executives may lead to removing some of the operating profits from subsequent periods to inflate earnings in the following periods. This way, the manipulation of United Natural's earnings can lead to misrepresentations of actual financial condition, taking the otherwise loyal stakeholders on to the path of questionable ethical practices and plain fraud.
-2.32
Beneish M Score - Unavailable
Elasticity of Receivables

1.0

Focus
Asset Quality

0.98

Focus
Expense Coverage

1.0

Focus
Gross Margin Strengs

1.37

Focus
Accruals Factor

1.0

Focus
Depreciation Resistance

1.0

Focus
Net Sales Growth

1.05

Focus
Financial Leverage Condition

1.0

Focus

United Natural Beneish M-Score Indicator Trends

The cure to earnings manipulation is the transparency of financial reporting. It will typically remove the temptation of the top executives to inflate earnings (i.e., to promote the idea of 'winning at any cost'). Because a healthy internal audit department can enhance transparency, the board should promote the auditors' access to all the record-keeping systems across the enterprise. For example, if United Natural's auditors report directly to the board (not management), the managers will be reluctant to manipulate simply due to the fear of punishment. On the other hand, the auditors will be free to investigate the ledgers properly because they know that the board has their back.
Current ValueLast YearChange From Last Year 10 Year Trend
Net Receivables1.2 B1.1 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Total Revenue37.4 B35.6 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Total Assets9.1 B8.7 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Total Current Assets4.1 B3.9 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Non Current Assets TotalB4.7 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Property Plant Equipment3.6 B3.4 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Depreciation And Amortization385.2 M366.9 M
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Selling General Administrative2.8 B2.7 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Total Current Liabilities2.9 B2.7 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Non Current Liabilities Total4.3 B4.1 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Net Debt4.2 BB
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Short Term Debt130.2 M212.8 M
Way Down
Slightly volatile
Long Term Debt2.5 B2.4 B
Sufficiently Up
Slightly volatile
Operating Income8.7 M9.2 M
Notably Down
Very volatile
Total Cash From Operating Activities152.5 M290.9 M
Way Down
Slightly volatile
Long Term Investments124 K130.5 K
Notably Down
Slightly volatile
Gross Profit Margin0.20.1462
Significantly Up
Pretty Stable

United Natural Foods Beneish M-Score Driver Matrix

One of the toughest challenges investors face today is learning how to quickly synthesize historical financial statements and information provided by the company, SEC reporting, and various external parties in order to detect the potential manipulation of earnings. Understanding the correlation between United Natural's different financial indicators related to revenue, expenses, operating profit, and net earnings helps investors identify and prioritize their investing strategies towards United Natural in a much-optimized way. Analyzing correlations between earnings drivers directly associated with dollar figures is the most effective way to find United Natural's degree of accounting gimmicks and manipulations.

About United Natural Beneish M Score

M-Score is one of many grading techniques for value stocks. It was developed by Professor M. Daniel Beneish of the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and published in 1999 under the paper titled The Detection of Earnings Manipulation. The Beneish score is a multi-factor model that utilizes financial identifiers to compile eight variables used to classify whether a company has manipulated its reported earnings. The variables are built from the officially filed financial statements to create a final score call 'M Score.' The score helps to identify companies that are likely to manipulate their profits if they show deteriorating gross margins, operating expenses, and leverage against growing revenue.

Depreciation And Amortization

385.19 Million

As of now, United Natural's Depreciation And Amortization is increasing as compared to previous years.

United Natural Earnings Manipulation Drivers

Although earnings manipulation is typically not the result of intentional misconduct by the c-level executives, it is still a widespread practice by the senior management of public companies such as United Natural. It is usually done by a series of misrepresentations of various accounting rules and operating activities across multiple financial cycles. The best way to spot the manipulation is to examine the historical financial statement to find inconsistencies in earning reports to find trends in assets or liabilities that are not sustainable in the future.
202020212022202320242025 (projected)
Net Receivables1.1B1.2B889M953M1.1B1.2B
Total Revenue27.0B28.9B30.3B31.0B35.6B37.4B
Total Assets7.5B7.6B7.4B7.5B8.7B9.1B
Total Current Assets3.6B3.8B3.5B3.4B3.9B4.1B
Net Debt3.4B3.3B3.2B3.5B4.0B4.2B
Short Term Debt497M183M198M185M212.8M130.2M
Long Term Debt2.2B2.1B2.0B2.1B2.4B2.5B
Operating Income439M423M120M8M9.2M8.7M
Investments(237M)(49M)(32M)(342M)(307.8M)(292.4M)

United Natural ESG Sustainability

Some studies have found that companies with high sustainability scores are getting higher valuations than competitors with lower social-engagement activities. While most ESG disclosures are voluntary and do not directly affect the long term financial condition, United Natural's sustainability indicators can be used to identify proper investment strategies using environmental, social, and governance scores that are crucial to United Natural's managers, analysts, and investors.
Environmental
Governance
Social

About United Natural Fundamental Analysis

The Macroaxis Fundamental Analysis modules help investors analyze United Natural Foods's financials across various querterly and yearly statements, indicators and fundamental ratios. We help investors to determine the real value of United Natural using virtually all public information available. We use both quantitative as well as qualitative analysis to arrive at the intrinsic value of United Natural Foods based on its fundamental data. In general, a quantitative approach, as applied to this company, focuses on analyzing financial statements comparatively, whereas a qaualitative method uses data that is important to a company's growth but cannot be measured and presented in a numerical way.
Please read more on our fundamental analysis page.

Currently Active Assets on Macroaxis

When determining whether United Natural Foods offers a strong return on investment in its stock, a comprehensive analysis is essential. The process typically begins with a thorough review of United Natural's financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, to assess its financial health. Key financial ratios are used to gauge profitability, efficiency, and growth potential of United Natural Foods Stock. Outlined below are crucial reports that will aid in making a well-informed decision on United Natural Foods Stock:
Is Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail space expected to grow? Or is there an opportunity to expand the business' product line in the future? Factors like these will boost the valuation of United Natural. If investors know United will grow in the future, the company's valuation will be higher. The financial industry is built on trying to define current growth potential and future valuation accurately. All the valuation information about United Natural listed above have to be considered, but the key to understanding future value is determining which factors weigh more heavily than others.
Quarterly Earnings Growth
(0.89)
Earnings Share
(1.36)
Revenue Per Share
530.243
Quarterly Revenue Growth
0.049
Return On Assets
0.0145
The market value of United Natural Foods is measured differently than its book value, which is the value of United that is recorded on the company's balance sheet. Investors also form their own opinion of United Natural's value that differs from its market value or its book value, called intrinsic value, which is United Natural's true underlying value. Investors use various methods to calculate intrinsic value and buy a stock when its market value falls below its intrinsic value. Because United Natural's market value can be influenced by many factors that don't directly affect United Natural's underlying business (such as a pandemic or basic market pessimism), market value can vary widely from intrinsic value.
Please note, there is a significant difference between United Natural's value and its price as these two are different measures arrived at by different means. Investors typically determine if United Natural is a good investment by looking at such factors as earnings, sales, fundamental and technical indicators, competition as well as analyst projections. However, United Natural's price is the amount at which it trades on the open market and represents the number that a seller and buyer find agreeable to each party.