Forecasting Profitability and Earnings

18 Pages Posted: 13 Nov 1997

See all articles by Eugene F. Fama

Eugene F. Fama

University of Chicago - Finance

Kenneth R. French

Dartmouth College - Tuck School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 1999

Abstract

There is a strong presumption in economics that, in a competitive environment, profitability is mean reverting. We provide corroborating evidence. In a simple partial adjustment model, the estimated rate of mean reversion is about 40 percent per year. But a simple partial adjustment model with a uniform rate of mean reversion misses rich non-linear patterns in the behavior of profitability. Specifically, we find that mean reversion is faster when profitability is below its mean and when it is further from its mean in either direction. We also show that the mean reversion in profitability produces predictable variation in earnings.

JEL Classification: G12

Suggested Citation

Fama, Eugene F. and French, Kenneth R., Forecasting Profitability and Earnings (February 1999). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=40660 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.40660

Eugene F. Fama (Contact Author)

University of Chicago - Finance ( email )

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Kenneth R. French

Dartmouth College - Tuck School of Business ( email )

Hanover, NH 03755
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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