In this article, we compare several candidate time-series models for the time-series of quarterly accounting earnings per share. One Box-Jenkins model dominates in terms of forecast accuracy. This model is a Box-Jenkins (1,0,0) x (0,1,1) model

If both producers and consumers demand forecasts based solely on their forecasting ability, then the equilibrium employment of analysts, a higher cost factor than time series models, implies that analysts must produce better forecasts than time series models. Past studies of comparative earnings...

The process by which analysts revise quarterly earnings forecasts is analyzed and compared to the way in which several time-series models of quarterly earnings revise forecasts. A significant portion of the analyst's forecast revision is explained by the most recent one-quarter-ahead forecast...