IHS Markit is using advanced analytics to more than double the number of companies covered by its Dividend Forecasting service. The expanded global service covers an unparalleled 28,000 stocks in more than 90 markets, providing up to five years of dividend forecast data for each stock covered.

“Combining cutting edge analytics with our more than 15 years of Dividend Forecasting expertise offers index providers, derivatives desks, asset managers and hedge funds access to the broadest set of dividend forecasts available for large-, mid- and small-cap stocks globally, including frontier markets,” says Alessandro Ferretti, head of Dividend Products at IHS Markit. “Our recognised, bottom-up research methodology will still be applied by 40 expert forecasters, who will strengthen their fundamental analysis using augmented intelligence and quantitative insights produced by our model.”
 
The model enabling the expanded dividend coverage was developed in partnership with the data science team at IHS Markit. It uses advanced machine learning to apply the proven methodologies of the Dividend Forecasting team at significant scale and scope to process a large, dynamic range of inputs and proxies, including company guidance, historical patterns, industry and peer group trends, consensus forecasts and other unique datasets from IHS Markit. 
 
“Using machine learning, advanced statistical modelling and time series analysis techniques to uncover patterns in multiple datasets helps us dramatically expand coverage and also retain the analytical rigour our Dividend Forecasting team has developed over many years,” says Yaacov Mutnikas, chief data scientist and chief technology officer at IHS Markit.