Stock screeners: guide on how to find stocks to invest in
When you’re choosing which stocks to invest in, it’s crucial to compare and filter information about them. This includes understanding their prices, ratios, and the ability to filter them based on region and other useful criteria.
To assist with this task, we have tools called stock screeners. In this article, we will explore some of the best stock screeners available.
What is a stock screener?
There are hundreds and hundreds of stocks to invest in – so, how can you find the right ones for your strategy quickly and effortlessly?
Using a stock screener, you can filter all available stocks with a few clicks. You can sort them based on market capitalisation, ratios, price, multiple indicators, regions, and many more. A stock screener significantly lowers the time required to do all the legwork to verify each company individually, so a stock screener is a must-have tool in any investor’s toolbox.
Hence, we’ve done the research and come up with the best stock screeners on the market right now.
Best stock screeners
TradingView: intuitive and smooth experience
TradingView is a user-friendly platform that embeds a powerful stock screener. It has many criteria, including ratios, market capitalisation, region, and many more. While it may take some time to get used to, it provides a smooth user experience.
To get started with TradingView, have a look at our in-depth TradingView review.
Investing.com: one of the most popular stock screeners
Known for its simplicity and user-friendly design, Investing.com is popular among both beginner and expert investors. It allows users to select stocks by country, sector, industry, asset type, dividends, fundamental or technical indicators, and many other criteria.
Reuters stock screener: simple and clear
This platform stands out for its simplicity, clarity, and wide selection of stocks, including American and international options. In addition, it provides a fund screener, which can be helpful if you’re aiming for quick diversification.
While it may have fewer filters compared to some others, it covers the essentials such as geographical region and sector.
Yahoo Finance: well-organised and easy to use
With Yahoo Finance, you can create and save your own screeners. Yahoo offers stocks, funds, indices, and even futures screening options. If you have a multi-asset strategy, you may find Yahoo Finance a suitable option for screening multiple assets from the same easy-to-use interface.
Finviz: stock screener for technical analysis
This platform is more technical, featuring Japanese candlestick charts and detailed trends. However, its visual interface may not be as user-friendly as other screeners. This screener is suitable if you invest or trade in the short term and you want to use technical indicators in the screening process.
MarketScreener: all-in-one screening platform
MarketScreener offers a comprehensive range of filtering options, allowing users to specify the country, region, or index for stock selection. It’s user-friendly and dynamic, enabling you to save and track your selections.
Financial Times: one of the most comprehensive screeners
In addition to stock analysis, the Financial Times platform provides the latest news, acquisition information, and institutional announcements about companies.
Read more about the stock market
Are you new to the stock market? Have a look at our other guides:
- How to invest in the stock market
- Stock market for beginners
- Stock order types
- Best brokers for beginners
- Where to invest in 2023
Stock screeners: summary
In conclusion, stock screeners are invaluable tools for investors seeking to navigate the complex world of stock markets. These platforms streamline the process of finding the right stocks by offering a range of filters and criteria, allowing investors to identify opportunities that align with their investment goals.
Whether you prefer the intuitive interface of platforms like TradingView and Yahoo Finance, the technical analysis capabilities of Finviz, or the comprehensive options offered by MarketScreener and Financial Times, there is a stock screener to suit your needs.
By leveraging these tools, investors can make more informed decisions, ultimately enhancing their ability to build successful investment portfolios in an ever-evolving financial landscape.
FAQs
What is the purpose of using a stock screener?
A stock screener’s primary advantage is its ability to quickly filter through thousands of stocks based on specific criteria. This streamlines the research process and helps investors identify potential investment opportunities that match their preferences and objectives.
Are stock screeners suitable for novice investors?
Yes, stock screeners are valuable tools for both novice and experienced investors. Many screeners, such as Investing.com and Yahoo Finance, are user-friendly and cater to beginners by providing intuitive interfaces and straightforward filtering options.
Do stock screeners provide real-time data?
Stock screeners typically provide delayed or end-of-day data for free users. However, some premium versions or paid subscriptions may offer real-time data. It’s essential to check the specific features of each screener to determine the level of data accuracy and timeliness.
