Took me way too long to realize a stock screener is just step one of stock analysis

I used to think finding the perfect stock screener would solve my investing problems. Spent months testing different setups.

Nobody tells you screening is maybe 10% of the work. You can have the best filters and still buy garbage if you don't dig into what comes out.

I'd run a screen, get 30 names, buy the cheapest on paper. Half were cheap for good reasons I'd have caught with 20 minutes of reading. Now screens are idea generators not decision makers. Something passes my filters in finviz or valuesense, cool, worth looking at. Not worth buying yet.

The actual stock analysis happens after. Reading earnings calls, understanding competitive dynamics, figuring out why it's priced where it is. That's where you make money.