Seven questions to ask before you buy a stock

Do the due diligence before investing. You may have heard this countless times by now, even from us.

But truth be told, analysing a business, be it fundamental or technical, can be taxing. Indian companies are infamous for being stingy with information, and often you find yourself with multiple tabs open, numerous screeners running and feeling lost.

But there's a better way to analyse companies: the Value Research way. From price history and financials to key ratios, we have everything you need to know about every listed Indian company.

Just hop on our website, type in the name of the company you want to learn about in the search bar and go to its stock page. And that's it. Everything you need for your analysis will be right before you.

Here's how you can use our website to answer the seven most important questions every investor must ask before buying a stock.

What does the company do, and how is it faring presently?
If you are planning to bet on a business, you, of course, need to know what it does. On our stock page, right below the company logo, you will find the sector the company operates in, which gives you a rough idea of what it does.

To know more, simply click on the company logo, and you will get an in-depth description of the company's operations.

But it's not enough to know what it does; you must also check how the company is faring presently. Simply click on the 'News' tab, and under the 'Review and Analysis' section, you will get relevant articles on the company from our expert analysts.

You can also read about the recent official announcements made by the company under the 'News & Announcements' section.

How has the stock performed over the years?
Next on the checklist is stock price history.

On our stock page, you will find the most comprehensive price graph. By default, we display the stock's price history for one year. But you can click on custom and obtain the price history for any period.

How have the stock's key ratios progressed?
Every investor must know how a company is performing in terms of profitability, growth, solvency, operating efficiency and valuation.

If you scroll to the 'Valuation' and 'Growth & Efficiency' section, you will have a clear picture of how the company is faring regarding the above factors.

Who else invests in the stock?
You must have a look at who else is investing in a stock. Always a good sign to know if market experts are also eyeing your stock pick.

Click on the 'Share Holdings' tab on the Stock page. You will get access to our unique table listing the mutual fund houses invested in the stock. You will also know if they have increased or decreased their investment in the last few years.

How does the company compare to its peers?
It has never been easier to know if you are investing in a company that is beating its competition. Head over to the 'Peer Comparison' section of the Stock page to get a comprehensive view of how the company stacks up against its peers. You can select up to four peers at once.

How are the company's financials?
Financials are the lifeline of a business. You should never invest in a stock without checking the financials.

We provide an in-depth view of financials, annual as well as quarterly, consolidated as well as standalone, for up to six years, as well as trailing twelve months. With 59 heads of information across eight periods, this is quite the treasure trove for those looking for a thorough analysis.

Who owns the company?
Have the promoters been decreasing their stake? How much do DIIs or FIIs own? We provide you with the shareholding pattern for five quarters, which shows you who's in, who's out, and where they're going.