From Data to Decision: : Using Logistic Regression to Determine Creditworthiness

Abstract: The development of scorecards for customer credit rating is a well-established field in the financial sector. The aim of this project, conducted in collaboration with a Swedish credit institute, was to develop a statistical model for predicting customer performance. In addition to conducting a model, the project also sought to identify the set of consumer characteristics with high predictive capability and how these characteristics differ when predicting performance early versus late in the loan term. To achieve this goal, a dataset containing approximately 15,000 unique loan applications approved between July 2020 and July 2022 was acquired from the credit institute, and logistic regression models were applied for different time periods ranging from 6 to 21 months. However, the models demonstrated better results than a random model but also showed difficulties in predicting creditworthiness. Possible factors contributing to the model's performance are discussed in the project, along with suggestions for potential improvements. Further research is encouraged in this area to achieve better prediction accuracy.