Predicting Financial Performance in the IT Industry with Machine Learning: ROA and ROE Analysis

IT is recognized as the engine of the digital world. The fact that this technology has multiple sub-sectors makes it the driving force of the economy. With these characteristics, the sector is becoming the center of attention of investors. Considering that investors prioritize profitability, it becomes a top priority for managers to make accurate and reliable profitability forecasts. The aim of this study is to estimate the profitability of IT sector firms traded in Borsa Istanbul using machine learning methods. In this study, the financial data of 13 technology firms listed in the Borsa Istanbul Technology index and operating between March 2000 and December 2023 were used. Return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) were estimated using machine learning methods such as neural networks, multiple linear regression and decision tree regression. The results obtained reveal that the performance of artificial neural networks (ANN) and multiple linear regression (MLR) are particularly effective.