How do bankruptcy risk estimations change in time? Empirical evidence from listed US companies

Abstract

The study analyzes how bankruptcy risk estimations of listed US companies changed in the period January 2006 to May 2023. Based on multi-year data series of bankruptcy risk estimations, the study shows the dynamics of bankruptcy risk estimations and, therefore, helps interpret the outcome of bankruptcy prediction models and evaluate the recent financial distress that a notable number of listed US companies exhibits. Furthermore, the study analyzes the pre-bankruptcy patterns of listed US companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2023.