How to screen stocks in India - a complete guide | Learn

What is stock screening?

A stock screener applies filters to the universe of listed companies and returns only those that match all your criteria. Think of it as a search engine for stocks: instead of browsing thousands of names, you describe what you want and the screener finds matches.

Screening is the first step in a research workflow. It generates candidates; you then do deeper analysis (financials, business understanding, valuations) on the shortlist. No one can analyse 5,000 stocks manually; the screener narrows the field.

Fundamental filters

The aftermarkets screener exposes eight fundamental ratios. The four you'll reach for most often:

PE ratio: Filters by valuation. PE under 15 finds cheap stocks; PE above 40 finds growth stocks. Combine with sector context since PE norms differ by industry (IT companies trade at higher PE than banks).
Market cap: Filters by company size. Large-cap (above ₹20,000 crore), mid-cap (₹5,000–20,000 crore), small-cap (below ₹5,000 crore). Size affects liquidity, volatility, and institutional coverage.
ROE / ROCE: Measures profitability. ROCE above 15% consistently indicates a business with durable competitive advantages. Warren Buffett famously screens for high ROE.
Debt-to-equity: Measures financial leverage. Below 0.5 is conservative; above 2 is aggressive. Capital-intensive sectors (infrastructure, power) naturally carry more debt.

Technical signals

Beyond static filters, the screener detects dynamic signals: stocks that just crossed above their 200-day moving average, stocks with RSI below 30 (potentially oversold), stocks with a MACD bullish crossover, and so on.

The unified screener combines both. Build a filter set (market cap > 5000 Cr AND ROE > 15) AND a signal set (volume spike OR golden cross). The intersection gives you fundamentally sound stocks showing technical momentum.

Live mode polls every 15 seconds during market hours, so new matches appear in real time as signals trigger. Snapshot mode gives a point-in-time query for end-of-day analysis.

Building your first screen

Start simple. A classic value screen:

PE < 20
ROE > 12
Debt/Equity < 1
Market Cap > 1000 Cr

This finds profitable, conservatively-financed companies at reasonable valuations.

A momentum screen:

Market Cap > 5000 Cr
Volume Ratio > 2x average
Price change > 2%
Delivery > 50%

This finds large-caps with unusual institutional interest today.

Try it now

Build your first screen

Frequently asked

How many filters can I combine?

Filters combine with AND logic (all must match) and signal types combine with OR logic (any signal triggers). You can combine both in one query, and there is no practical limit on filter count. The screener lists every filter and signal it currently supports.

Should I use fundamental or technical screening?

Both. Fundamental filters find quality companies; technical signals find timing. The best approach is to use fundamentals as a base filter (quality gate) and signals to identify when those quality stocks are showing momentum or value opportunities.

How often should I run my screens?

It depends on your strategy. Swing traders might screen daily. Value investors might screen weekly or when markets correct. aftermarkets' Live mode is designed for active traders; Snapshot mode works better for periodic research sessions.