LONGSTOX / HOW TO USE STOCK SCREENER
How to use a stock screener: define the question before stacking filters
Use a stock screener by starting with one clear research question, aligning the universe, data date and return window, then applying the fewest filters that answer it. LongStox screens current active US stocks by company or ticker, sector, market cap, 10-, 30-, 90-, 180- or 250-trading-day return direction, distance from the prior 252-session high, positive P/E ranges or positive free-cash-flow yield, and annualized 252-day volatility. The output is a candidate list, not a future-return ranking; when a metric is missing, a filter that needs it excludes the company instead of treating the value as zero.
Write the question before choosing the fewest filters
For example, a search for large caps with positive free-cash-flow yield and lower volatility maps to size, valuation and volatility filters. Do not keep adding criteria until only familiar names remain. Every filter changes the eligible universe, and changing thresholds after seeing the result increases selection bias. Record the question and thresholds first; if no company remains, relax one condition at a time.
Keep each metric tied to its actual definition
LongStox excludes ETFs and screens active stocks that pass the current data-quality gate. Market cap is the latest available US-dollar listing value. P/E divides market cap by trailing-12-month net income and its filters require a positive value. Free-cash-flow yield divides the latest annual free cash flow by market cap. The 52-week position compares the latest close with the prior 252-session high, and volatility annualizes the latest 252 daily returns. Return windows use adjusted closes and completed trading sessions.
Turn the result into a verification queue, not an answer
Results are sorted by one selected measure and display at most 100 companies, so an undisplayed company is not zero or necessarily worse. Select two to four candidates for like-for-like comparison, then use 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filings to verify the business, financials and material events. A low P/E can reflect peak earnings or higher risk, and proximity to a high does not mean the trend will continue. A screener narrows research; it does not replace company research.
Reading checklist
| What to check | How to interpret it |
|---|---|
| Research question | State the question before seeing the result. |
| Universe and date | Confirm the active universe, data date and return window. |
| Metric definition | Separate size, valuation, historical position and volatility. |
| Missing values | A metric filter excludes missing values rather than assigning zero. |
Limits & counterexamples
The screener uses a current active-stock snapshot and excludes delisted companies, so it cannot support a survivorship-bias-free historical backtest. Prices, corporate actions and financial metrics can be revised, and financial measures may refer to different reporting periods. Results are not a complete-market ranking, return forecast, stock recommendation or investment advice.
Sources & verification
For research and education only, not a securities recommendation or personalized investment advice. Historical results do not predict future performance.