Default Prediction Models a Comparison between Market Based Models and Accounting Based: Case of the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange 2010-2013

Abstract

Default prediction is relevant to equity investors in Zimbabwe. The study examined the performance of two bankruptcy prediction models, the accounting ratio-based (Z-Score) model and the market based (KMV distance to default) model. The Z-Score model developed has two variables, market value to long term debt and EBIT to current liabilities and uniquely describe Zimbabwe’s corporate environment. The research concluded that accounting model (Z-Score) has superior bankruptcy prediction power. The model achieved 0.959 accuracy ratio against the market based model 0.509. Companies that went bankrupt during the period had shown signs of poor financial performance in prior years.