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M5 accuracy competition: Results, findings, and conclusions

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  • Makridakis, Spyros
  • Spiliotis, Evangelos
  • Assimakopoulos, Vassilios

Abstract

In this study, we present the results of the M5 “Accuracy” competition, which was the first of two parallel challenges in the latest M competition with the aim of advancing the theory and practice of forecasting. The main objective in the M5 “Accuracy” competition was to accurately predict 42,840 time series representing the hierarchical unit sales for the largest retail company in the world by revenue, Walmart. The competition required the submission of 30,490 point forecasts for the lowest cross-sectional aggregation level of the data, which could then be summed up accordingly to estimate forecasts for the remaining upward levels. We provide details of the implementation of the M5 “Accuracy” challenge, as well as the results and best performing methods, and summarize the major findings and conclusions. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings and suggest directions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Makridakis, Spyros & Spiliotis, Evangelos & Assimakopoulos, Vassilios, 2022. "M5 accuracy competition: Results, findings, and conclusions," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 1346-1364.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfor:v:38:y:2022:i:4:p:1346-1364
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijforecast.2021.11.013
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    4. Andrea Kolková & Petr Rozehnal, 2022. "Hybrid demand forecasting models: pre-pandemic and pandemic use studies," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 17(3), pages 699-725, September.
    5. Jonas Hanetho, 2023. "Deep Policy Gradient Methods in Commodity Markets," Papers 2308.01910, arXiv.org.
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    9. Jeroen Rombouts & Marie Ternes & Ines Wilms, 2024. "Cross-Temporal Forecast Reconciliation at Digital Platforms with Machine Learning," Papers 2402.09033, arXiv.org.
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    11. Guillaume Chevalier & Guillaume Coqueret & Thomas Raffinot, 2022. "Supervised portfolios," Post-Print hal-04144588, HAL.
    12. Ma, Shaohui & Fildes, Robert, 2022. "The performance of the global bottom-up approach in the M5 accuracy competition: A robustness check," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 1492-1499.
    13. Xu Gong & Mengjie Li & Keqin Guan & Chuanwang Sun, 2023. "Climate change attention and carbon futures return prediction," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(9), pages 1261-1288, September.
    14. George Athanasopoulos & Rob J Hyndman & Nikolaos Kourentzes & Anastasios Panagiotelis, 2023. "Forecast Reconciliation: A Review," Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers 8/23, Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.
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