A stock screener is a tool that filters a long list of listed companies using criteria you set yourself, for example the sector, the size of the company, its P/E ratio, its debt or its dividend yield. Only the companies that meet every condition stay on the screen. The result is a short list of names worth reading about, not a list of shares to buy: the screener narrows the search, and the research on each company still has to be done by you.
Worked example
Say a screener holds 2,000 listed companies. You choose one sector, and 300 remain. You add "P/E below 15", and 90 remain. You add "debt to equity below 1", and 40 remain. You add "dividend yield above 2%", and 12 remain. Each filter cut the list, from 2,000 to 12, which is a number you can actually read about. Those 12 are not recommendations. Each one is a company to open the annual report for, and a P/E under 15 is simply a question to look into: it can reflect a business that is out of favour, or one whose profits are about to fall.
Why it matters
Thousands of companies are listed, and nobody can read about all of them. A screener gives your reading a starting point, and it forces you to write down what you care about before you look at any name. The pitfalls are real: too many filters empty the list, data can be missing or out of date, and a company that passes every filter can still have a weak business. Treat the output as the start of the research. The stock screener page on Worthmap describes how its screen works, including the score out of 36 it gives each company from fixed rules in six areas, a checklist result, not a tip to buy or sell.
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Frequently asked questions
It filters a large list of listed companies using conditions you set, such as sector, size, P/E, debt or dividend yield, and shows only those that meet all of them. The output is a list to research, not a list to buy.
Usually four or five is enough: start with the market and sector, then size, debt, profitability and valuation. Each extra filter shrinks the list, and too many can leave it empty or hide companies a looser filter would have shown.
No. A screener only sorts companies by figures. It cannot judge the quality of management, the strength of the business or one-off events in the accounts, so every name on the list still needs to be researched.
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Built & maintained by Worthmap · Last updated November 1, 2026
Educational use only. This tool provides estimates for informational purposes and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Results are based on inputs you provide and mathematical models, they do not guarantee future performance. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.