Screening the Market: A Four-Step Method to Find, Analyze, Buy and Sell Stocks [Hardcover]

Marc H. Gerstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0471215597 | ISBN-13: 978-0471215592 | Edition: 1st

An Accessible and Systematic Stock Screening Method to Improve Profits

Praise for SCREENING the MARKET

"Marc Gerstein turns the chancy art of picking stocks into a screen-based science. Next time someone tells you to do your stock market homework, tell them you read this book."
-Thom Calandra, Editor in Chief, CBS.MarketWatch.com

"Many times on my radio show my listeners ask what they can read to help them with their investing. Marc has hit the nail on the head with his four-step method to find, analyze, buy, and, the hardest part for many investors, when to sell stocks. I will now recommend Screening the Market as a must-read for all investors, beginning to advanced."
-Brent Wilsey, Host of Smart Investing, KFMB AM 760
San Diego, California

"A must-read for investors looking to dissect the stock market and find winning stocks. Gerstein simplifies the seemingly complex process of screening stocks, a key tool of the pros, to make it accessible for all investors."
-Matt Krantz, Reporter, USA Today

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

No matter how good you are at reading stock price charts, understanding business dynamics, or deciphering financial statements, you’ll never achieve investment success if you continue to apply your skills to stocks that aren’t really worthy of being looked at in the first place.

Screening the Market helps solve this dilemma by offering you a systematic market screening method. Gerstein focuses your attention on stocks you may or may not have heard of in the past, but which deserve attention right now, not because they are being discussed on television or by the your friends, but because they meet objective merit-oriented tests based on your investment goals and style. This method is for you, whether you create your own screens or choose among many of today’s readily available pre-set screens. It covers the entire life of your stock investments, no matter what your preferences–value, growth, or blue-chip.

Before exploring one of the best ways to find stock investment ideas, screening expert Marc Gerstein helps you get comfortable with this method by discussing certain widely held concepts about investing and how they relate to stock market screening. You’ll learn about what to expect–and what not to expect–as you begin to utilize this incredible investment method, and find out why it works so well.

After this brief introduction, Screening the Market takes you to the heart and soul of this screening method by going far beyond the topic of using software packages to generate lists. Rather than preach an impractical, unrealistic formula for success, this book presents a complete four-step method that promotes a discipline and diligence that continually asks you to examine your investment goals and determine how well a particular stock matches up to them. This four-step method will show you how to:

Step 1: Find . . . a group of stocks worthy of further study

Step 2: Analyze . . . a specific company and its stock

Step 3: Buy . . . the best of the stocks that pass muster

Step 4: Sell . . . stocks that, after review, are no longer suitable

With each step covered in full detail, you’ll quickly learn how to implement this practical plan to find market-beating stocks and build a solid portfolio that meets your investment goals.

Screening the Market lets you tailor your investment strategies to your investment needs. Take this opportunity to enhance your investment skills–by asking yourself what your investment goals are and what you are willing to do to achieve them–and then start screening the markets for the best available investment opportunities.

From the Back Cover

An Accessible and Systematic Stock Screening Method to Improve Profits

Praise for SCREENING the MARKET

"Marc Gerstein turns the chancy art of picking stocks into a screen-based science. Next time someone tells you to do your stock market homework, tell them you read this book."
–Thom Calandra, Editor in Chief, CBS.MarketWatch.com

"Many times on my radio show my listeners ask what they can read to help them with their investing. Marc has hit the nail on the head with his four-step method to find, analyze, buy, and, the hardest part for many investors, when to sell stocks. I will now recommend Screening the Market as a must-read for all investors, beginning to advanced."
–Brent Wilsey, Host of Smart Investing, KFMB AM 760
San Diego, California

"A must-read for investors looking to dissect the stock market and find winning stocks. Gerstein simplifies the seemingly complex process of screening stocks, a key tool of the pros, to make it accessible for all investors."
–Matt Krantz, Reporter, USA Today

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471215597
• ISBN-13: 978-0471215592
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #807,723 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best way to find stocks, August 4, 2004

By 

Randy (Ann Arbor, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Screening the Market: A Four-Step Method to Find, Analyze, Buy and Sell Stocks (Hardcover)

I am convinced that doing one's own screening for stocks is the best way for an investor to find great stock picks. Where do many novice investors get their stock buying ideas from? Hot tips from others? Internet message boards? Screening is an infinitely better way for deciding which stocks to invest in.

Mr. Gerstein's book is in a class of it's own. The subject is so useful, I am amazed that there aren't other books like it on the market. This book is highly comprehensive and thorough. Contrary to what a previous reviewer wrote, there is not a word of fluff in the entire book. I read it cover-to-cover and may read it again. It is filled with substance, not only on screening methods, but also on ways to analyze and interpret a wide range of financial data.

Also, contrary to another reviewer, one need not subscribe to the author's premium screener to benefit from this book. There are many free and premium stock screeners on financial web site that investors can use. Having read this book, an investor will be able to make far better educated use of these screeners.

The author leans far more toward fundamental analysis than technical analysis, and more toward buy-and-hold investing than short term trading. And while I wish that there was a bit more information about using screens for technical analysis indicators and oscillators, I most heartily endorse this book. It is one of the best written stock market related books that I have ever read. Investors and traders who studies this book will, no doubt, gain substantial knowledge.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything you want to know about Stock Screens, January 2, 2004

By 

Marcus A. Sasiadek (Valley Forge, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Screening the Market: A Four-Step Method to Find, Analyze, Buy and Sell Stocks (Hardcover)

A previous reviewer makes an incorrect statement. All the screens in the book work with the free Multex screener on the Multex web site. The screener is free, powerful,and will probably be my main screener from now on.

As an amateur programmer and someone that's worked on huge databases for a living, I can say I learned quite a few things from this book that I didn't already know.

But,the book goes on way too long. There is a good long chapter on stock screens; all the other chapters are fluff.

If you want to know everything about stock screeners, buy the book and read that one long good chapter, skip the rest of the book. I don't know of any other stock screener books, so I give it 4 stars for being innovative.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a doalble technique, July 4, 2006

By 

Mark S "Mark S" (Boston) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Screening the Market: A Four-Step Method to Find, Analyze, Buy and Sell Stocks (Hardcover)

This is the best book I have ever read on stock investing. I have probably read 25 books. It is the best because it is applicable. Many books will tell you to buy what you know, to buy companies with sustainable competitive advantages, to buy companies with better Management etc. However, it is impossible for the average person to find this out, unless they spend hours reading the 10k's. This book gives you techniques that the average person can use.