What separates trading stocks from gambling? At the end of the day, the biggest and most important difference is due diligence. Anyone can invest money randomly and hope that the cards are in their favor, but traders are investing their hard earned cash which means there must be a logical reason behind it – this is where due diligence comes in.
Due diligence or “DD” is essentially the research backing up an investor’s decision. While there are many events or catalysts to look for – which you can find out about here – knowing where to look is clearly the first step.
While many websites claim to be the best stock research websites, the best places for DD are places where traders can openly share their own DD or trading. Not only will this help you learn more about each company, but it can help improve your trading technique as well.
Investors Hub
One of the most well-known forums for investors is without a doubt InvestorsHub. A well-known, old school site for DD the way it used to be, InvestorHub may look outdated but the information it provides is first rate. Like any message board, the website shows threads for each ticker where users can share their thoughts and DD which is one reason it remains one of the best stock research websites.
Unfortunately, some threads are inactive or have been reduced to two people squabbling about a conspiracy theory. But the website still holds some gems. One of iHub’s tools includes a stock news aggregator as well as a recent stock news board. The ticker buzz cloud is a simplified way of showing which stocks are being discussed the most, but iHub also has a useful average volume breakout board for cryptocurrencies.
However, one of iHub’s best features are the free zones led by legendary traders like i_like_bb_stock and MOMO. BB’s Stock Haven and Momo’s Breakout Board are great places for exploring the technicals or fundamentals of both penny stocks and large caps. TommyBoyTrader also has a free zone for his DD on almost everything, and it is definitely one to watch.
On the other hand, Twitter is an absolute go-to for investors – unless you are Warren Buffett. This social media platform is possibly the most ideally suited for sharing DD thanks to its emphasis on short text and single images. Here, you’ll find traders posting their latest trades, charts, and the downlow on the hot stocks of the day. FinTwit is a thriving community, and for penny stocks it’s even better.
By searching for a ticker with the “$” in front, investors will quickly see the market sentiment reacting to a dip or rip in a stock. This is especially important for knowing when a run is nearing its end because seeing other investors’ price targets will help you anticipate when the sell off might begin.
On top of that, FinTwit influencers can be important catalysts for a stock and may provide trading ideas which new traders can learn from. While there are many great FinTwit influencers, some of the best to follow in our opinion are: @MrMikeInvesting, @AdnansArk, @ThiccTeddy, @MTradess, @KentsBrokerage, and @Mitch___Picks. Some of these traders specialize in penny stocks or small caps and provide stock picks, DD, and technical plays which all traders can benefit from.
For OTC traders, some of the best out there are @mn_goat_trader – who’s stock picks are top-notch – and “All Research, No Pump” @WhildRhino who is a resource for good DD. The king of technical analysis – @RadioSilentplay – is definitely worth a look as well because his charting techniques can introduce traders to technical plays usually overlooked on the OTC. @MoonMarket_ is also FinTwit influencer worth following, but his YouTube channel is a gem for catching the next OTC stock runners.
StockTwits
But traders interested in seeing only stock related news, the best stock research website could be StockTwits, which – just like its name implies – operates similarly to Twitter but each thread is solely focused on one ticker. Stock Twits can be a great resource for keeping track of companies’ Earning Reports thanks to its earnings calendar. When a major company like Google or Amazon reports its earnings, it can affect the entire market – making these earnings important catalysts to monitor.
The site also has rankings for the trending and most active stocks based on its discussion boards. Its heatmap follows the same idea but provides an overview of which sectors are performing well over different time periods. Capitalizing on the boom of investor discord groups, StockTwits also offers premium rooms for investors interested in advice and alerts from leading investors.
Financial Journalism
For more in-depth analysis and commentary from financial columnists, Motley Fool and Seeking Alpha are two of the best resources for fundamental analysis and market data. Providing free and premium articles, both sites give a tailored perspective of both small and large cap stocks. Using their insights, investors can form their own opinions before investing.
But to see the nit and grit of investing, Reddit remains one of the best stock research websites thanks to the community’s focus on detailed, lengthy analysis from investors – as well as memes. The birthplace of the short squeeze movement, Reddit has captured investors’ attention and many regularly watch Reddit to find the next short squeeze.
As is, there are many investing threads such as Stocks and Trading, investing, options, superstonk, and stock market – but Wall Street Bets and Wall Street Bets Elite are by far the most well known. For penny stocks there are fewer threads, but Penny Stocks Watch, Top Penny Stocks, and Penny Stocks DD are a few worth exploring.
Unusual Whales
Last but far from least, Unusual Whales’ options flow is an invaluable resource for investors interested in trading options or just interested in gaining an overall outlook on the market. With a subscription, traders can gain access to Whale’s options flow which can take their trading to the next level.
Using strategies to target the “whales” of the stock market, the options flow can be used in multiple ways but one strategy is to set premiums for above $20 thousand to get a general sense of the market. Then open a second tab with premiums also set for above $20 thousand and select open trades to see what whales are opening their orders on. This will give you an idea of where stocks could be heading for the day while checking whale’s stock alerts. Using the flow, search for one month out expiries and note which stocks have premiums coming in that are over $300 thousand – this is definitely a sign of unusual activity and can help narrow down which stocks to play that day.
Tradingview
For more of a technical approach to your DD, Tradingview offers much more than just charting. With a catalog of traders who break down their technical analysis in detailed videos, there’s a lot to learn with ideas for stocks, crypto, options, and more. Tradingview also includes a series of educational ideas for investors starting out which include market analysis, chart patterns, and trade setups.
Press Releases
While these sites are important tools for getting information quickly, you can always bypass the noise and dive straight in by looking at the company’s website. Most have a curated investors section which includes the latest PR, shareholders’ presentations, updates on its operations, and messages from the company’s CEO. But Yahoo Finance usually has the most comprehensive roundup of most companies’ press releases and has stock screeners for undervalued large caps, aggressive small caps, and undervalued growth stocks.
OTC Markets
For penny stocks the OTC Markets page is a fundamental resource and offers a useful stock screener which sorts by industry, volume, price change and more. This helps investors hone in on the best performing targets or the worst ones thanks to the OTC’s short interest data.
Conclusion
While there may be as many stock research websites as there are stocks, the best stock research websites typically have a thriving community of investors regularly contributing their own DD and insights. Learning from other traders’ wins and losses is a vital part of trading and these websites are some of the best stock research websites out there. As more platforms emerge, we’ll continue to add to this growing list of resources.
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