Value Investing Blog - Data-Driven Analysis & Guides
Our value investing blog pairs every article with real financial data - DCF walkthroughs, indicator deep-dives, and guru portfolio updates.
Every article on the ValueMarkers blog is backed by real financial data from our platform — 100,000+ stocks, 120 indicators, 30 years of financials. Whether you're learning to calculate intrinsic value, analyzing guru portfolio changes from the latest 13-F filings, or comparing stock screeners, you'll find data-dense, transparent analysis here.
We publish new content weekly. Focus areas: DCF walkthroughs, Quality Triple Check case studies, guru strategy analysis, and value investing education. Our long-term investing research helps you find stocks that compound value over years, not days.
All Articles(61–80 of 1330)
Stock Buybacks: When They Create Value and When They're a Warning Sign
Stock buybacks return capital to shareholders by reducing the share count -- but not all buybacks are equal. Learn when repurchases create real value, when they destroy it, how to calculate buyback yield, and how to screen for buyback quality using FCF yield and price-to-intrinsic-value comparisons.
May 19, 2026
Should Value Investors Try to Time the Market? What the Evidence Shows
The debate between 'time in market' and 'timing the market' has a nuanced answer for value investors. Buffett doesn't time markets but does build cash when nothing is cheap. Learn how margin of safety, CAPE ratio, and sector-level valuation give value investors a rational timing framework.
May 19, 2026
Stock Valuation for Beginners: 5 Methods to Find Intrinsic Value
You can own a great business and still lose money by overpaying. Learn the 5 core stock valuation methods -- P/E ratio, DCF, Graham Number, EV/EBITDA comparables, and asset-based valuation -- with step-by-step examples and clear guidance on when each method applies.
May 19, 2026
Value Investing in Tech Stocks: How to Apply Fundamental Analysis to Software and Semiconductors
Traditional P/E and P/B ratios break down for technology companies. Learn which metrics actually work for software and semiconductors -- EV/FCF, Rule of 40, NRR, ROIC -- and how to apply Piotroski and screen tech stocks on ValueMarkers.
May 19, 2026
Value Traps: How to Identify and Avoid Stocks That Look Cheap But Keep Falling
A value trap is a stock that appears cheap on traditional multiples but keeps declining as its underlying fundamentals deteriorate. Learn the 6 types of value traps, the 'melting ice cube' concept, and the quantitative screens — Piotroski, Altman Z, Beneish M — that help filter them out.
May 19, 2026
WACC Explained: How to Calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital
WACC is the discount rate used in DCF analysis to convert future cash flows into today's dollars. Learn the full formula, how to calculate cost of equity via CAPM, cost of debt, typical WACC ranges by industry, and how the ROIC-WACC spread measures value creation.
May 19, 2026
Warren Buffett's Stock Selection Criteria: A 10-Point Checklist
Drawing on decades of Berkshire Hathaway annual letters and shareholder interviews, this educational guide distills Warren Buffett's publicly described stock selection principles into a practical 10-point checklist — with specific ValueMarkers indicators for each criterion.
May 19, 2026
Altman Z-Score: The Complete Guide to Predicting Bankruptcy Risk
Edward Altman's 1968 model combines five financial ratios into a single score that predicts bankruptcy risk with documented accuracy. Learn the original formula, the three zones (Distress, Grey, Safe), Z' and Z'' variants, and how value investors use it as a portfolio filter.
May 19, 2026
Earnings Yield vs Bond Yield: How to Know When Stocks Are Cheap vs Bonds
Earnings yield (the inverse of P/E) compared against the 10-year Treasury yield is one of the most powerful tools for assessing stock market valuation. Learn the Fed Model, historical S&P 500 earnings yields, Greenblatt's Magic Formula application, and how to use the comparison today.
May 19, 2026
Owner Earnings: Warren Buffett's Superior Measure of True Business Value
Warren Buffett introduced owner earnings in his 1986 Berkshire Hathaway letter as a superior measure of business cash generation. Learn the formula, how it differs from FCF and EPS, the maintenance vs growth capex distinction, and how to use it to value any business.
May 19, 2026
Quality Investing: How to Find Companies With Durable Competitive Moats
Quality investing focuses on ROIC, ROE, FCF conversion, and durable competitive moats rather than cheapness alone. Learn the 5 moat types, how to quantify moat strength using ROIC vs WACC, the difference between value and quality investing, and the ValueMarkers Quality Triple Check.
May 19, 2026
Altman Z-Score: How to Predict Bankruptcy Risk Before It Happens
Professor Altman's 1968 model combines five financial ratios into a single score that flags bankruptcy risk years in advance. Learn the formula, the three zones, famous cases like Enron and Lehman Brothers, and how to use the calculator today.
May 17, 2026
Beneish M-Score: How to Detect Earnings Manipulation
Professor Messod Beneish's 1999 model uses eight financial ratios to flag companies likely manipulating their earnings. Learn how DSRI, GMI, AQI, SGI, DEPI, SGAI, LVGI, and TATA work, how the -2.22 threshold was derived, and how the model caught Enron and WorldCom.
May 17, 2026
ROIC vs ROE: Which Quality Metric Actually Matters?
ROIC and ROE both measure how well a company converts capital into profit — but they answer fundamentally different questions. This guide explains why ROIC is superior for most analytical purposes, why ROE can be gamed with debt, and how ROIC above WACC is the clearest signal of genuine value creation.
May 17, 2026
How to Use a DCF Calculator: Step-by-Step Guide for Value Investors
Learn how to use a DCF calculator to estimate the fair value of any stock. This step-by-step guide covers every input, common mistakes, and a worked example with Apple.
May 17, 2026
How to Value Tech Stocks Using DCF: A Step-by-Step Guide
Tech stocks are notoriously hard to value with traditional DCF models. This guide explains a two-stage approach that handles negative earnings, hypergrowth, and high discount rates correctly.
May 17, 2026
Dividend Investing: The Complete Guide for 2026
Dividend investing builds wealth through a combination of income and compounding. This complete guide covers yield vs growth, dividend safety analysis, sector allocation, and tax efficiency for 2026.
May 17, 2026
Enterprise Value vs Market Cap: Why EV Matters More for Valuation
Enterprise value and market cap both measure company size, but EV includes debt and cash to show the true acquisition cost. This guide explains EV = market cap + debt − cash, when EV-based ratios are superior, and how to use EV/EBITDA for cross-company comparisons.
May 17, 2026
The Graham Number: How to Use Benjamin Graham's Valuation Formula
The Graham Number is a simple formula that calculates the maximum fair price for a defensive stock by combining earnings and book value. Learn the formula, worked examples, strengths and weaknesses, and how to apply it to modern stocks.
May 17, 2026
Magic Formula Investing: Greenblatt's System for Beating the Market
Joel Greenblatt's magic formula investing ranks stocks by earnings yield and return on capital. Learn how the system works, what the backtests show, and how to apply it.
May 17, 2026
Deepen Your Knowledge
Structured courses from our free Value Investing Academy.
Intrinsic Value & Margin of Safety
Learn DCF valuation and how to calculate a true margin of safety
Fundamental Ratios & Screening Logic
Master P/E, P/B, EV/EBITDA and other key valuation ratios
Quality Scores: Piotroski, Altman & Beneish
Quantitative filters for financial health and accounting quality
Portfolio Construction & Risk Management
Position sizing, diversification, and drawdown control
Economic Moats & Competitive Advantage
Identify durable advantages that protect long-term returns
Browse All Academy Modules
7 levels, 19+ modules - from beginner to professional
Apply What You Learn
Stock Screener
Screen 85,000+ stocks by 120 fundamental indicators
DCF Calculator
Calculate intrinsic value with 4 valuation models
VM Score Leaderboard
Top stocks ranked daily by composite VMCI score
Guru Strategies
Apply Buffett, Graham, and Greenblatt frameworks
Investing Academy
Free courses on fundamental analysis and valuation
Financial Glossary
124 indicator definitions with formulas explained
Global Markets
Macro overview across 73 global exchanges
Tool Comparisons
See how ValueMarkers compares to 50+ alternatives
Explore More
Browse Stocks
- Stock Analysis HubBrowse by sector, exchange, or country
- Technology StocksTop tech stocks by intrinsic value
- Healthcare StocksTop healthcare stocks by VMCI
- Financial StocksTop financial stocks by VMCI
- Energy StocksTop energy stocks by fundamentals
- Real Estate StocksTop REIT and property stocks
- NYSE StocksBest-valued stocks on NYSE
- NASDAQ StocksTop NASDAQ stocks by VM Score
- LSE StocksTop London Stock Exchange stocks
- US StocksBest US stocks by fundamentals
- UK StocksBest UK stocks by fundamentals
- Japan StocksTop Japanese stocks by value
Compare Competitors
- All ComparisonsCompare 67+ stock analysis tools
- vs GuruFocusDetailed feature and pricing comparison
- vs TIKRSide-by-side platform comparison
- vs MorningstarCompare analysis capabilities
- vs FinvizScreener comparison and review
- vs Seeking AlphaResearch platform comparison
- vs Simply Wall StVisual analysis comparison
- vs Yahoo FinanceFree tool comparison
- vs ZacksEarnings rank vs fundamental analysis
- vs StockopediaStockRanks vs DCF comparison
- vs Stock RoverPortfolio analytics comparison
- vs KoyfinTerminal-style tool comparison
- vs TradingViewCharting platform comparison
- vs Alpha SpreadValuation tool comparison
- vs WisesheetsExcel/Sheets add-in comparison
- vs MacroaxisData portal vs analysis platform
- vs Old School ValueGraham-style analysis comparison
- vs TIKR TerminalData terminal vs screener comparison
Ready to put this knowledge to work?
Apply these frameworks to any of 100,000+ securities across 73 global exchanges.
Open Screener →