If you’re willing to spend money to make money, some stock analysis spreadsheets for a fee offer comprehensive analysis features that are worth the price.
If you don’t want to build your own spreadsheet, a few spreadsheet tools can help you evaluate company fundamentals, while relieving you of only a small amount of cash. None of the products is perfect. However, each one offers some intriguing views of fundamental measures that might augment your current analysis.
- Spredgar (http://www.spredgar.com
Spredgar is an Excel add-in that combines SEC filing data and ratio analysis in one product. It collects data for more than 8,000 companies from SEC filings and updates the downloadable data available on the Spredgar web site once a week. The spreadsheet calculates 70 financial ratios, and displays them in tables as well as graphs. By collating data for companies within a SIC code, Spredgar can compare a company’s ratios to the averages for the industry. Spredgar calculates free cash flow from company balance sheets [Hack #39] to track down the real sources and uses of company cash. The spreadsheet also calculates the sustainable growth rate, which indicates how quickly a company can grow from funds generated by the business and not by borrowing money. With several periods of financial data, the spreadsheet can show trends in values. However, it doesn’t provide any advice or instruction on how to evaluate the numbers and trends you see.
Spredgar is priced as a subscription from $25 for one week up to $450 for an entire year. If you study and update stocks once a quarter, you can limit your costs by subscribing to Spredgar for four one-week periods.
- ValueSheet (http://www.valuesheet.com)
You have to find data to feed a ValueSheet spreadsheet, but the information a ValueSheet provides might be worth the effort. This tool includes instructions for understanding and evaluating financial measures and ratios, how to use each worksheet, and what to look for in different industries. It uses Excel conditional formatting [Hack #8] to highlight company performance. In addition to graphs of growth, ValueSheet calculates numerous ratios including free cash flow. You can specify weightings for ratios to score companies based on the criteria you care about. The Comparison worksheet shows scores for multiple companies side by side. ValueSheet is available for a one-time charge of $39.95.
- Valuesoft (http://www.sherlockinvesting.com
This Excel add-in from Sherlock Investing is touted by its creators as offering analysis based on an accurate implementation of Warren Buffett’s brand of analysis. The product includes a manual explaining its approach. The product is available for a one-time charge of $75. However, you can return it for any reason within 90 days to receive a complete refund of the purchase price.
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