Q: How can I find good stocks? 
A: With thousands of stocks to choose from, pinpointing the right ones can be difficult. That’s where technology tools come in.
Most online brokerage and financial Web sites provide a variety of “stock screening” tools. Using a screener, investors can define the characteristics they’re looking for from a stock and get a list of the stocks that meet those traits.
Online brokerage firms have continually been improving their screening tools and several have gotten very comprehensive. You can search for stocks that meet fundamental requirements. For instance, you could look for stocks that are down the most but where revenue is expected to grow by 10% or more in the current year. You can also screen for stocks that meet characteristics that traders are seeking, such as a high intraday volatility or stocks that are widely held by large institutions.
Remember, stock screens are just a starting point and further
research is usually needed. Sometimes a stock might meet a criteria due
to an usual event. Earnings are espeically tricky here, since profit can
also be hurt or helped by one-time charges that a screen might not pick
up on. And all this assumes you’re searching for characteristics that
lend themselves to stocks that will win in the future.
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Matt Krantz is USA TODAY markets reporter
