Twelve proven stock screening strategies, value, quality, dividends, growth, momentum and more, each with the filters to use and a guide to go deeper.
Most stock screening strategies are a handful of filters applied to a clear idea. Below are twelve, with the filters that express each idea, the risk to watch, and a guide that covers it in depth.
Last updated: October 2026.
Value
1. Cheap and profitable
P/E below 15, ROE above 12%, positive free cash flow. The classic value filter, built to avoid cheap but broken businesses. Run it. Guide: how to find undervalued stocks.
2. Graham-style value
Low P/E, price to book below 1.5, low debt. Conservative and defensive. Guide: Benjamin Graham stock screen.
3. Net cash
Stocks whose cash is a large share of their market value. Risk: cash can be trapped or burn quickly. Guide: net cash screening.
Quality
4. Wide moat
Moat Score of 75 or more, with a valuation limit. Guide: wide moat screener.
5. Compounders
High ROIC, steady growth, low debt. Guide: compounder screener and ROIC.
6. Financial strength
Piotroski F-score of 7 or more. Guide: Piotroski F-score in Europe.
Income
7. Sustainable high yield
Dividend yield above 3%, payout ratio below 70%, positive free cash flow. Avoids yield traps. Run it. Guides: high dividend European stocks and payout ratio screening.
8. Dividend growth
Yield plus a record of increases. Guide: European dividend growth stocks.
Growth
9. Growth at a reasonable price
Revenue and earnings growth with a PEG below 1.5. Guide: GARP investing in Europe and PEG ratio.
Momentum and technical
10. Trend followers
Above the 50-day and 200-day averages, near a 52-week high. Guides: momentum investing and 52-week high breakouts.
11. Pullbacks in uptrends
Above the 200-day average, RSI below 35. Guide: RSI oversold screener.
Special situations
12. Insider buying
Stocks where insiders have been net buyers recently. Guide: insider buying screener.
How to choose and combine
- Start with one idea and add at most two supporting filters. Every extra filter removes more stocks and fits the past more tightly.
- Match the strategy to your horizon. Value and quality suit years, momentum suits weeks to months.
- Read the shortlist by hand. A screen makes a list of candidates, not decisions. See stock screening mistakes.
- Save and revisit. Save a screen as a preset and compare the list next month.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best stock screening strategy?
There is no single best one. Value, quality and momentum have all worked over long periods in different markets. Pick what fits your horizon and temperament.
How many filters should a screen have?
Three to five. The free plan allows up to 5.
Can I run these on European stocks?
Yes. All links use the European exchanges, and the same filters work for US and Canadian markets.
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