ARIMA 
The ARIMA procedure computes the parameter estimates for a given seasonal or 
non-seasonal  univariate  ARIMA  model.  It  also  computes  the  fitted  values, 
forecasting values, and other related variables for the model. 
Notation 
The following notation is used throughout this chapter unless otherwise stated: 
yt (t=1, 2, ..., N) 
N  
at (t = 1, 2, ... , N)  
p 
q 
d  
P  
Q  
D 
s 
f p B(
)  
q q B(
)  
F P B(
)  
Q Q B(
)  
 
s  
B  
Univariate time series under investigation 
Total number of observations 
White noise series normally distributed with mean zero and 
variance s a
2  
Order of the non-seasonal autoregressive part of the model 
Order of the non-seasonal moving average part of the model 
Order of the non-seasonal differencing 
Order of the seasonal autoregressive part of the model 
Order of the seasonal moving-average part of the model 
Order of the seasonal differencing 
Seasonality or period of the model 
AR polynomial of B of order p, 
f
...
= -
1
j
B
B
B
B
j
j
(
)
2
p
 
1
2
p
p
MA polynomial of B of order q, 
q
J
J
2
= -
1
...
(
B
)
q
J
B
1
B
2
SAR polynomial of B of order P, 
...
= -
1
B
B
B
(
)
2
1
2
P
q
 
B
q
P
B
P
SMA polynomial of B of order Q, 
(
B
)
Q
= -
1
B
1
2
B
2
...
Q
B
Q
 
 
Non-seasonal differencing operator   = - 1 B  
Seasonal differencing operator with seasonality s,   = -
Backward shift operator with  By
t=
y
- 1
t
and  Ba
t
1 
s
 
sB1
t= - 1  
a
-
-
-
-
-
-
F
F
F
F
-
-
-
Q
Q
Q
Q
-
-
-
2   ARIMA 
Models 
A seasonal univariate ARIMA(p,d,q)(P,D,Q)s model is given by 
f
(
B
)
p
(
B
)[
P
d
D
s
y
t
m
=
q
]
(
B
)
q
=
)
B a
t
(
Q
t
1 K  
,
N
,
(1) 
where m  is an optional model constant. It is also called the stationary series mean, 
assuming that, after differencing, the series is stationary. When NOCONSTANT is 
specified, m  is assumed to be zero.  
=
=
When  P Q D
model: 
= 0 ,  the  model  is  reduced  to  a  (non-seasonal)  ARIMA(p,d,q) 
f
(
B
)[
p
d
y
t
m
=
q
]
(
)
B a
t
q
=
t
1 K  
,
N
,
(2) 
An  optional  log  scale  transformation  can  be  applied  to  yt   before  the  model  is 
fitted. In this chapter, the same symbol,  yt, is used to denote the series either before 
or after log scale transformation.  
Independent  variables  x1,  x2,  …,  xm  can  also  be  included  in  the  model.  The 
model with independent variables is given by 
f
(
B
)
p
(
B
)[
P
d
D
s
(
y
t
m
=
1
i
=
)
m
c x
i
it
q
]
(
B
)
q
(
)
B a
 
t
Q
or     F
(
B
)[
(
B y
)(
t
m
=
1
i
c x
i
it
)
=
m
]
(
)
B a
t
 
(3) 
where 
= f
(
B
)
= 
)B
(
= q
(
B
)
and  c
i ,
i
p
d
(
B
)
(
B
)
 
P
D  
s
(
B
)
 
)
Q
(
B
q
= 1 2 K , are the regression coefficients for the independent variables. 
, ,
m
,
F
Q
-
-
F
Q
-
-
Q
-
-
F
F
Q
Q
ARIMA   3  
Estimation 
Basically,  two  different  estimation  algorithms  are  used  to  compute  maximum 
likelihood (ML) estimates for the parameters in an ARIMA model: 
•  Melard’s algorithm is used for the estimation when there is no missing data in 
the time series. The algorithm computes the maximum likelihood estimates of 
the  model  parameters.  The  details  of  the  algorithm  are  described  in  Melard 
(1984), Pearlman (1980), and Morf, Sidhu, and Kailath (1974).  
•  A Kalman filtering algorithm is used for the estimation when some observations 
in the time series are missing. The algorithm efficiently computes the marginal 
likelihood of an ARIMA model with missing observations. The details of the 
algorithm  are  described  in  the  following  literature:  Kohn  and  Ansley  (1986) 
and Kohn and Ansley (1985). 
Diagnostic Statistics 
The following definitions are used in the statistics below:  
 
N p 
SSQ 
$s a
2 
SSQ’ 
Number of parameters 
%&’
N
p =
 
+ + +
+ + +
p q P Q m
p q P Q m
+
+ +
without model constant
with model constant
 
1
Residual sum of squares 
SSQ = ¢e e , where e is the residual vector 
 
Estimated residual variance 
2 =
$s a
, where  df N N p
=
 
SSQ
df
 
 
Adjusted residual sum of squares 
’= 0
5 W
SSQ
SSQ
matrix of the observation vector computed at MLE 
 is the theoretical covariance 
1/
N
, where W
-
4   ARIMA 
Log-Likelihood 
= -
L
s
ln( $
N
)
a
’
SSQ N
s
$
2
2
a
p
2
)
 
ln(
2
Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) 
AIC
= -
+2
L
2
N p
 
Schwartz Bayesian Criterion (SBC) 
SBC
= -
+2
L
ln1
6
N N p
 
Generated Variables 
Predicted Values 
Forecasting Method: Conditional Least Squares (CLS or AUTOINT) 
In general, the model used for fitting and forecasting (after estimation, if involved) 
can be described by Equation (3), which can be written as 
y D B y
t
(
)
=
t
+
m
(
B
)
(
)
B a
+
t
m
=
1
i
c
i
(
B
)
(
)
B x
it
 
where 
0
5
=
D B
B0
5
m
=
0
5
B
0 5
1
0
m
5
B
 
1 
-
-
-
F
Q
F
-
F
F
F
ARIMA   5  
Thus, the predicted values (FIT)t are computed as follows: 
0
FIT
5 =
t
where 
=
$
y
t
) $
D B y
(
t
+
m
+
(
B
)
) $
B a
(
t
+
m
=
1
i
c
i
(
B
)
(
)
B x
  
it
(4) 
=
  $
a
t
y
t
$
y
t
£1
t
n
 
Starting  Values  for  Computing  Fitted  Series.  To  start  the  computation  for  fitted 
values  using  Equation  (4),  all  unavailable  beginning  residuals  are  set  to  zero  and 
unavailable  beginning  values  of  the  fitted  series  are  set  according  to  the  selected 
method: 
•  CLS. The computation starts at the (d+sD)-th period. After a specified log scale 
transformation,  if  any,  the  original  series  is  differenced  and/or  seasonally 
differenced  according  to  the  model  specification.  Fitted  values  for  the 
differenced series are computed first. All unavailable beginning fitted values in 
the computation are replaced by the stationary series mean, which is equal to 
the  model  constant  in  the  model  specification.  The  fitted  values  are  then 
aggregated to the original series and properly transformed back to the original 
scale. The first d+sD fitted values are set to missing (SYSMIS). 
log  scale 
•  AUTOINIT.  The  computation  starts  at  the  [d+p+s(D+P)]-th  period.  After  any 
specified 
the  actual  d+p+s(D+P)  beginning 
observations  in  the  series  are  used  as  beginning  fitted  values  in  the 
computation. The first d+p+s(D+P) fitted values are set to missing. The fitted 
values are then transformed back to the original scale, if a log transformation is 
specified.  
transformation, 
Forecasting Method: Unconditional Least Squares (EXACT) 
least-squares  predictors  calculated  using 
As with the CLS method, the computations start at the (d+sD)-th period. First, the 
original  series  (or  the  log-transformed  series  if  a  transformation  is  specified)  is 
differenced  and/or  seasonally  differenced  according  to  the  model  specification. 
Then the fitted values for the differenced series are computed. The fitted values are 
one-step-ahead, 
theoretical 
autocorrelation function of the stationary autoregressive moving average (ARMA) 
process  corresponding  to  the  differenced  series.  The  autocorrelation  function  is 
computed  by  treating  the  estimated  parameters  as  the  true  parameters.  The  fitted 
values are then aggregated to the original series and properly transformed back to 
the original scale. The first d+sD fitted values are set to missing (SYSMIS). The 
details  of  the  least-squares  prediction  algorithm  for  the  ARMA  models  can  be 
found in Brockwell and Davis (1991). 
the 
F
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F
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£
6   ARIMA 
Residuals 
Residual  series  are  always  computed  in  the  transformed  log  scale,  if  a 
transformation is specified. 
(
ERR
)
t
=
y
t
(
FIT
)
t
= 1 2 K  
t
N
, ,
,
Standard Errors of the Predicted Values 
Standard  errors  of  the  predicted  values  are  first  computed  in  the  transformed  log 
scale, if a transformation is specified. 
Forcasting Method: Conditional Least Squares (CLS or AUTOINIT) 
(
SEP
)
t
a=
s
$
=
t
1 2 K  
, ,
N
,
Forecasting Method: Unconditional Least Squares (EXACT) 
In the EXACT method, unlike the CLS method, there is no simple expression for 
the  standard  errors  of  the  predicted  values.  The  standard  errors  of  the  predicted 
values  will,  however,  be  given  by  the  least-squares  prediction  algorithm  as  a 
byproduct.  
Standard errors of the predicted values are then transformed back to the original 
scale for each predicted value, if a transformation is specified.  
Confidence Limits of the Predicted Values 
Confidence limits of the predicted values are first computed in the transformed log 
scale, if a transformation is specified: 
(
LCL
)
(
UCL
=
=
(
FIT
(
FIT
)
t
)
t
t
1
t
1
a
a
+
/
2
,
df
/
2
,
df
t
)
t
(
SEP
)
(
SEP
t
)
t
=
t
t
, ,
1 2
=
, ,
1 2
K
,
K
,
N
N
 
where  t
- a /
1
2
,
freedom and a
1
 is the  1
df
 is the specified confidence level (by default a = 0 05.
6 -th percentile of a t distribution with df degrees of 
- a /
). 
2
Confidence  limits  of  the  predicted  values  are  then  transformed  back  to  the 
original scale for each predicted value, if a transformation is specified.  
-
-
-
-
ARIMA   7  
Forecasting 
Forecasting Values  
Forcasting Method: Conditional Least Squares (CLS or AUTOINIT) 
The following forecasting equation can be derived from Equation (3): 
$ ( )
y l
t
=
) $
D B y
(
+
l
t
+
m
+
(
B
)
) $
B a
(
+
l
t
+
m
=
1
i
c
i
(
B
)
(
)
B x
+
l
,
i t
 
(5) 
where 
0
5
D B
=
0
5
B
0
5
B
1
,
0
5
=
m
B
0 5
1
m  
$ ( )
y lt
 denotes the l-step-ahead forecast of  yt
l+  at the time t.  
$
y
+ -
l
t
i
=
%&’
y
+ -
t
l
$ (
y l
t
i
i
)
if
if
l
>
l
i
i
 
$
a
+ -
l
t
=
j
%&’
y
0
+ -
l
t
i
$
y
+ -
t
l
1 1
( )
i
if
if
l
l
i
i
 
>
Note  that  $ ( )
exactly the predicted value  $yt¢ +1 as given in Equation (4).  
yt¢ 1   is  the  one-step-ahead  forecast  of  yt¢ +1   at  time 
¢t ,  which  is 
Forecasting Method: Unconditional Least Squares (EXACT) 
The forecasts with this option are finite memory, least-squares forecasts computed 
using the theoretical autocorrelation function of the series. The details of the least-
squares  forecasting  algorithm  for  the  ARIMA  models  can  be found in Brockwell 
and Davis (1991). 
F
Q
F
-
F
F
F
£
-
-
-
£
8   ARIMA 
Standard Errors of the Forecasting Values 
Forcasting Method: Conditional Least Squares (CLS or AUTOINIT) 
For  the  purpose  of  computing  standard  errors  of  the  forecasting  values,  Equation 
(1) can be written in the format of y weights (ignoring the model constant): 
J
f
=
y
t
(
(
q B Q B
(
(
p B P B
)
)
)
)
=
y
a
t
(
)
B a
t
=
y
=
0
i
i
B a
t
i
,   y 0
i
1=  
(6) 
Let  $ ( )
y lt
 denote the l-step-ahead forecast of  yt
l+ at time t. Then 
y lt
= +
se[ $ ( )] {
1
Note that, for the predicted value,  l = 1 . Hence,  (
+ +
y
...
}
1
1
2
$
  
a
s
2
l
y
+
y
2
1
2
2
)
SEP t
a= s
$
 at any time t. 
 Weights. y
Computation of y
 weights can be computed by expanding both sides of 
the  following  equation  and  solving  the  linear  equation  system  established  by 
equating the corresponding coefficients on both sides of the expansion: 
f
(
B
)
p
(
B
)
P
d
y
D
s
=
(
B
q
)
(
B
)
q
(
B
)
 
Q
An explicit expression of y
 weights can be found in Box and Jenkins (1976). 
Forecasting Method: Unconditional Least Squares (EXACT) 
As  with  the  standard  errors  of  the  predicted  values,  the  standard  errors  of  the 
forecasting  values  are  a  byproduct  during 
forecasting 
least-squares 
computation. The details can be found in Brockwell and Davis (1991). 
the 
References 
Box,  G.  E.  P.,  and  Jenkins,  G.  M.  1976.  Time  series  analysis:  Forecasting  and 
control. San Francisco: Holden-Day. 
Brockwell, P. J., and Davis, R. A. 1991. Time series: Theory and methods, 2nd ed. 
New York: Springer-Verlag. 
-
¥
Q
F
-
F
Q