The Predictive Power of Future Cash Flow by Earning and Cash Flow

The purpose of this study is to investigate the ability of past earnings, compared to past cash flows, to predict future cash flows. A sample of 69 companies was selected, during the years 2004 to 2017, and regression models were applied to analyze the data, using cross-sectional data and time series analysis. Also, in this study, Markov random methods are used to predict future cash flows. For this purpose, transfer probability matrices were formed and after examining the basic assumptions of the model, the transfer process was estimated and the findings were extracted. The results of the study show that in predicting future operating cash flows, the ability to explain past operating cash flows has been greater than past operating profits. Findings in this method also indicate the superiority of the cash flow forecasting power over operating profit and loss. Other results show that although accruals, as well as their breakdown into smaller components, lack the predictive power of future cash flows, by adding models from past cash flows, they acquire the power of prediction. In short, the findings indicate the prominent role of cash flow, compared to profit and loss, in predicting future cash flows.