Comparing the Efficiency of Statistical Models and Machine-Learning Models and Choosing the Optimal Model for Predicting Net Profit and Operating Cash Flows

The present study compared the predictive performance of machine-learning models and statistical models for forecasting profit and operational cash flow by using a combination of accrual and cash variables. The research method encompassed 3 main stages: data set and variable selection, modeling, and estimation. The study focused on companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE), analyzing data from 184 companies over the period of 2012-2021. The findings indicated that accrual variables exhibited greater explanatory power than cash variables in predicting net profit and future operating cash flow. Furthermore, the comparison of machine-learning and statistical models for forecasting net profit and future operating cash flow revealed that the artificial intelligence approach exhibited superior capability. Specifically, symbolic regression among the machine-learning models and the probit model among the statistical models demonstrated higher performance. Additionally, the results indicated that certain statistical models outperformed some machine-learning models while, on average, machine-learning models outperformed statistical models.