Estimating the probability of bankruptcy using z-score and distance to default model: An application on ise

ABSTRACT Since 2008, the world has faced a severe economic recession. This global crisis promoted many individual businesses and multi-national corporations to file for bankruptcy, which has crucial social implications globally. Despite the fact that with the intrusion of governments and financial institutions to encourage the economy that has put corporations in billions of dollar of debt, reduces the prime rate to almost zero, increases unemployment rate as well as a decrease in the income rates. Trades became hesitant for spending due to the instability of jobs and personal financial problems. Businesses face tear due to lack of revenues and cautions of cash flows impact the psychology of investors. Logically, the convolution of this crisis is the matter of responsiveness. A countless opportunity is available to understand the facts of this economic fallout. In other words, it is more reasonable to study bankruptcy prediction because of its relevance. It has become essential to predict the bankruptcy more seriously to avoid or minimize the economic crisis for the individual and corporate sector. The objective of this research is to examine the performance of bankruptcy prediction models by data analysis to predict the chances of Turkish companies in the stock market based on information and data available from balance sheets and annual reports. The Altman's financial ratios based Z-Score and Merton's DD model has been selected for this thesis. It is hypothesized that these prediction models are quite precise to implement for understudy corporations and to compare these models. The study represents Turkey based non-financial firms that are listed in the main market segment of Borsa Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) between the years 2007 to the year 2016. It includes the observations on 10 stock listed businesses to find the effect of above-mentioned model. This study proved to be an appropriate tool and isolate the healthy corporations with those who have high chances of bankruptcy. This research also provides an overview on the subject of bankruptcies and their harmonic effects on the global economy as well as easily adapted for other industries. The result shows the projection that Z-score model clearly outperform in predicting the bankruptcy than DD model. The results of the hybrid model (Z-score) are more even than the other. Research also find many other financial factors influencing in the whole scenario of bankruptcy. Additionally, this research provides a better risk management to creditors, small businesses to improve their current operations to minimize failure as well as to invest in healthy organizations and short unhealthy ones. Keywords: Altman model, Distance to default model, Bankruptcy prediction, Credit risk, financial ratios