Have you ever spent an entire afternoon just filtering for a few stocks worth buying? Opening CafeF, checking P/E for each ticker, comparing ROE, reviewing financial reports — only to realize the market has closed and your list still is not done.
That is the reality of manual screening. And it is why AI Agents are fundamentally changing how investors find stocks.
Manual Screening: A 2-3 Hour Process
Suppose you want to find value stocks — P/E below 15, ROE above 20%, low debt. The manual workflow:
Step 1: Gather data (30-45 minutes)
Open CafeF or Vietstock, find a summary of financial metrics. But the data is not always complete — you may need to dig into individual company reports.
Step 2: Initial filtering (30-45 minutes)
Copy data into Excel. Use filters to find P/E under 15 — about 200 results. Filter again for ROE above 20% — down to about 50 stocks. But wait — is this data from the latest reporting period?
Step 3: Detailed review (45-60 minutes)
Open each stock from the 50-name list — re-check financial statements, review EPS trends, assess management, read recent news. Eliminate those with issues.
Step 4: Update (repeat weekly)
Data changes constantly. Every week you must re-run the entire process to keep the list current.
Total: 2-3 hours for each screening run. And that is just one strategy. Want to add Growth, CANSLIM, and Momentum? Multiply by 3-4.
AI Screening: 30 Seconds
Same criteria — P/E under 15, ROE above 20% — the AI process:
Step 1: Ask one question
"Screen stocks with P/E under 15, ROE above 20%, D/E below 0.5"
Step 2: Receive results
AI queries all 1,700+ tickers on HOSE, HNX, and UPCOM. Calculates metrics from the latest financial reports. Returns a list with a detailed comparison table.
Step 3: No manual updates needed
Data is refreshed automatically 24/7. Ask again next week — results already reflect the latest numbers.
Total: 30 seconds. Yes, thirty seconds.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Demo: Value Screening with FinStock
Let's try a concrete example. You enter into FinStock:
"Screen stocks with P/E under 15, ROE above 20%, D/E below 0.5, with dividends paid for at least 3 consecutive years"
Within seconds, AI returns results in table format:
| Ticker | P/E | ROE | D/E | Dividend Yield | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTG | 9.2 | 22% | 0.38 | 5.1% | Banking |
| GAS | 11.5 | 24% | 0.15 | 6.2% | Oil & Gas |
| PNJ | 13.8 | 25% | 0.28 | 3.8% | Retail |
| REE | 10.4 | 21% | 0.42 | 4.5% | Conglomerate |
Note: The table above is illustrative. Actual FinStock results will reflect the latest data and may differ.
The AI does not just return a list — it also explains why each stock meets the criteria, highlights strengths and weaknesses, and suggests additional metrics to consider.
Not Just Value — 22 Strategies Available
FinStock includes 22 screening strategies popular worldwide, customized for the Vietnamese market:
- Value Investing — Low P/E, low P/B, high dividend yield
- Growth — Revenue growth, EPS momentum
- CANSLIM — William O'Neil's 7 criteria
- Momentum — RSI, MA crossover, volume breakout
- Quality — High ROE, low debt, strong cash flow
- Dividend Aristocrat — Consistently growing dividends over many years
- And 16 more...
You can run any strategy with a single question. Or combine strategies: "Screen using CANSLIM, prioritize stocks with strong Momentum" — the AI handles everything.
Is Manual Screening Still Useful?
Yes. Understanding manual screening helps you:
- Understand the logic behind each strategy — why low P/E is attractive, what high ROE signifies
- Evaluate AI results — know whether the AI is filtering correctly
- Customize criteria — adjust thresholds for the Vietnamese market
It is like needing to know how to drive before you trust GPS. AI is the tool — you are still the decision-maker.
Read more: Stock Screening from A to Z — a detailed guide covering both manual and AI methods.
Disclaimer: This article is educational, not investment advice. Examples and figures are illustrative. Always do your own research and assess risk before making decisions.