How to choose a stock screener: what to look for
Jarle Nordby-Bøe Readers come to a financial newspaper to understand what’s happening in the markets. Sometimes they have a particular company in mind. Other times, an article sparks their interest in an industry, or they simply want to discover companies they haven’t considered before.
A stock screener gives them a way to explore this on your site, alongside your journalism.
At the same time, a stock screener can also help your newsroom spot companies and market movements worth investigating.
So, what does it actually do, and what makes a stock screener useful?
Image credit: Trends-Tendances
What is a stock screener?
A stock screener filters a selection of shares using criteria you choose. Depending on the available data, these might include a company’s industry, size, financial figures or share-price performance.
For example, you could look for stocks that have risen over the past year but fallen today. Adjusting the filters narrows the results to companies matching those conditions.
Unlike a company search, a screener does not require you to know which stock you want to find. It helps you build a shortlist based on selected characteristics to research further.
Depending on the screener and available data, you can filter stocks using:
- Company information: Industry, country, stock exchange or company size.
- Financial figures: Earnings, debt or valuation measures such as the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio.
- Price and trading data: Share-price performance over different periods and trading volume.
- Technical indicators: Measures of price trends and momentum, such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI).
- Environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings: Assessments of a company’s sustainability-related practices and risks. Ratings vary between providers.
- Analyst views: Analysts’ recommendations and price targets.
You don’t need to use every category. Start with the criteria that help answer your questions, then refine your selection.
See a stock screener in action
The examples below show Pulse’s stock screener on Trends-Tendances’ Explorer or Børsen’s stock screener. Users can select data points, adjust filter ranges and compare the resulting stocks visually.
-> Read more about how Børsen uses Pulse.
What should you look for in a stock screener?
1. Relevant market coverage
Start by checking which exchanges and stocks are included. Does it include the companies your readers follow?
A screener with extensive international coverage may still be unsuitable if it lacks the local companies you want to research.
For a European financial publisher, this could mean combining national stock exchange with other European markets and selected US-listed companies, such as those traded on Nasdaq.
2. Useful filters
Choose a screener based on what you want to explore. Available filters vary between screeners and data packages. You can begin with a few relevant criteria and refine your selection.
3. Clear data timing
Check whether prices are real-time or delayed.
Some publishers offer delayed prices – often by 15 minutes – as part of their free service, with real-time prices for selected exchanges available through a paid subscription or add-on. Check which markets are included, as paying for access does not necessarily mean every price is available in real time.
4. Results that are easy to explore
Look for clear controls, readable results and straightforward ways to adjust your selection.
Different views can help answer different questions. A table supports side-by-side comparison, while a scatter plot can reveal relationships between two measures.
5. Useful next steps
Consider what happens after you find an interesting company. Can you open its details, examine a chart or add it to a watchlist?
Image credit: Dagbladet Børsen
These capabilities vary, so check which are available and whether they require an account or subscription. Also check whether access to particular markets or real-time data carries an additional cost.
What a stock screener can’t tell
A screener identifies stocks matching your filters. It does not establish whether they are suitable investments or explain why their prices are moving.
A stock may appear attractive against one measure while facing challenges that the selected filters do not capture. Likewise, strong historical performance does not establish what will happen next.
Stock screeners to explore
To get a feel for different approaches, explore these options:
- Yahoo Finance
- TradingView
- Finviz
- Fiscal.ai
- Pulse’s stock screener, available on financial publisher platforms
Compare their market coverage, available filters and how easily you can explore the results. Features, data access and pricing vary.
From stock discovery to understanding
A stock screener works like an advanced search tool, helping readers and newsrooms find companies worth investigating based on their own criteria and filters.
Your reporting can then help them understand the developments behind the numbers. Bringing the two together gives readers a practical way to explore the market alongside your coverage.
