How to Analyze a Stock ? Key Questions to Ask Before You InvestShould I invest in this stock ? This is a common question investors face many times
But where do you begin? What should you look for, and what pitfalls should you avoid?
This guide will walk you through the essential steps to analyze a stock, focusing on the business itself rather than the stock chart. Since earnings per share (EPS) growth drives returns, it’s crucial to understand how revenue growth and margin expansion contribute over time.
Before buying any stock, ask yourself these six critical questions:
1.Company: What does the business do?
2.Economics: How does it generate revenue?
3.Opportunities: What are the potential upsides?
4.Risks: What challenges could it face?
5.Financials: What do the numbers reveal?
6.Valuation: Is the price justified?
1.What’s the Business?
- Mission: A clear mission drives long-term success. For example, Google’s mission, “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful,” is simple yet powerful. Does the company’s mission align with a growing trend or an unmet need?
- Leadership: Effective leadership, especially from founder-led teams or CEOs with a strong track record, often outperforms. Assess the team’s vision, execution skills, and employee approval ratings.
- Products: Are the company’s offerings essential, innovative, or part of a growing market? Consider their uniqueness, potential obsolescence, and innovation history.
2.How Do They Make Money?
- Revenue Mix: Is the company’s revenue diversified or reliant on a single product or customer? A diverse mix offers stability, while over-reliance can be risky.
- Unit Economics: Examine profitability metrics like gross margin and operating margin. Where does the bulk of profit come from?
- Key Metrics: Identify metrics like annual recurring revenue (ARR) for subscriptions or gross merchandise value (GMV) for e-commerce that best reflect the company’s performance trends.
3.What Could Go Right?
- Market Growth: Does the company operate in a growing industry, such as AI or renewable energy?
-Innovation: Look for ongoing R&D and a track record of successful product launches.
-Moat Expansion: Assess the company’s competitive advantage, whether it’s a strong brand, proprietary technology, or cost leadership.
4. What Could Go Wrong?
-Market Disruption: Is the company prepared for sudden changes, like new technologies or regulations?
-Competition: Strong rivals can erode market share. Analyze customer reviews and competitor benchmarks.
- Moat Erosion: A shrinking competitive edge—such as declining pricing power or poor retention—can signal trouble.
5.What Do the Numbers Say?
- Profitability: Check revenue growth, gross margins, and net income for consistent improvements.
- Solvency: Assess the balance sheet for debt-to-equity ratios, cash reserves, and financial stability.
- Liquidity: Positive and consistent cash flow indicates sustainability and growth potential.
6.Is the Price Right?
- Valuation Metrics: Use Price to Earnings (P/E), Price to Sales (P/S), or other relevant metrics depending on the company’s growth stage. Compare these to peers and market standards.
-Investment Horizon: Longer investment timelines can justify higher valuations if growth potential exists.
-Focus on Fundamentals: Valuation matters only if the business is strong. Avoid being tempted by low prices without underlying value.
By breaking a company into these six dimensions, you can turn complex decisions into actionable insights. Start with the business fundamentals, evaluate opportunities and risks, and finish by assessing valuation.
What stock will you analyze next? Let’s put this framework into action now
