Screening Filters
market_cap: min 5,000,000,000 (≥ $5B)
- Purpose: Focus on larger, more established financial companies.
- Rationale: When someone asks for the “best” financial services stocks, the implication is usually quality, stability, and institutional-grade names rather than tiny, illiquid firms. A $5B+ market cap threshold tilts the list toward well-known, better-capitalized companies, which are more likely to have durable business models and better disclosure/coverage.
market_cap_category: ['large', 'mid']
- Purpose: Further narrow the universe to mid-cap and large-cap financial stocks.
- Rationale: Mid and large caps in financial services are more likely to have proven track records, diversified revenue streams, and stronger risk management—key traits when searching for “best” stocks rather than speculative plays or microcaps.
sector: ['Financials', 'Banking & Investment Services', 'Insurance']
- Purpose: Restrict the results to core financial services businesses.
- Rationale: The user explicitly wants financial services stocks. Including Financials, Banking & Investment Services, and Insurance captures banks, asset managers, brokers, insurers, and related financial institutions, while excluding non-financial sectors that wouldn’t fit the request.
list_exchange: ['XNYS', 'XNAS'] (NYSE and NASDAQ)
- Purpose: Limit results to major U.S. stock exchanges.
- Rationale: “US market” typically refers to U.S.-listed stocks, especially those on NYSE and NASDAQ, which have higher listing standards, liquidity, and transparency. This filter aligns directly with that geographic and market focus.
net_margin: min 15 (≥ 15%)
- Purpose: Select companies with relatively strong profitability.
- Rationale: A higher net profit margin indicates efficient operations and pricing power. For “best” financial services stocks, you want firms that consistently convert revenue into profit at above-average rates, not just high revenue but thin margins.
return_on_equity (ROE): min 12 (≥ 12%)
- Purpose: Ensure companies generate solid returns on shareholders’ capital.
- Rationale: ROE is a key quality metric in financials. A minimum of 12% screens for companies that are using their equity base effectively, a hallmark of strong management, good underwriting/lending standards, and attractive business economics.
pe_ttm: min 8, max 25 (P/E between 8x and 25x)
- Purpose: Avoid both very cheap (possibly distressed) and extremely expensive (possibly overhyped) stocks.
- Rationale: A P/E below ~8 can signal elevated risk, earnings concerns, or structural issues, while a P/E above ~25 in financials may indicate overvaluation or unsustainably high expectations. Keeping P/E in a moderate range tilts toward reasonably valued, higher-quality names.
Why Results Match the Request
- The sector and exchange filters ensure you’re seeing U.S.-listed, core financial services businesses (banks, insurers, asset managers, etc.), directly matching “financial services stocks in the US market.”
- The market cap and cap category filters target mid/large, established players, which are more likely to qualify as “best” in terms of quality, stability, and reputation.
- The profitability (net margin) and efficiency (ROE) filters focus on financially strong companies, a key aspect of “best” when comparing stocks.
- The P/E range adds a valuation discipline, trying to ensure you’re not just getting high-quality companies, but also those trading at reasonably sensible prices.
This list is generated based on data from one or more third party data providers. It is provided for informational purposes only by Intellectia.AI, and is not investment advice or a recommendation. Intellectia does not make any warranty or guarantee relating to the accuracy, timeliness or completeness of any third-party information, and the provision of this information does not constitute a recommendation.