Frequently Asked Questions

stockvaluation.io is a comprehensive platform that provides automated discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis tools for stock valuation. Our mission is to make professional-grade valuation tools accessible to individual investors, following the proven methodologies of renowned finance professor Aswath Damodaran.

We believe that valuation shouldn't be an exclusive tool for financial institutions. Our platform offers transparent, easy-to-understand analysis that helps you make more informed investment decisions.

Getting started is simple:

1. Enter a Stock Ticker: Input the ticker symbol of the company you want to analyze (e.g., AAPL for Apple).

2. Review Company Data: Our system automatically pulls the latest financial data and presents key metrics.

3. Customize Parameters: Adjust valuation assumptions based on your analysis or use our intelligent defaults.

4. Generate Analysis: Get a comprehensive DCF valuation with detailed explanations.

No financial background required – our platform guides you through each step with helpful tooltips and explanations.

Our platform is designed for:

Individual Investors: Retail investors who want professional-level analysis without the complexity.

Students & Educators: Those learning about finance and valuation methodologies.

Financial Advisors: Professionals who need reliable tools for client presentations.

Investment Clubs: Groups making collective investment decisions.

Anyone Interested in Stocks: From beginners to experienced investors looking for accessible valuation tools.

Automated Valuation: Uses our default parameters based on industry averages and analyst projections. Perfect for quick analysis or when you're learning.

Manual Valuation: Allows you to customize growth rates, margins, and other key assumptions based on your own research and analysis.

Both methods use the same robust DCF framework. We recommend starting with automated analysis to understand the baseline, then experimenting with manual adjustments as you gain confidence.

We source our data from reliable financial data providers to ensure accuracy and timeliness:

Financial Statements: Latest 10-K and 10-Q filings from SEC databases

Market Data: Real-time and historical stock prices from major exchanges

Industry Metrics: Sector averages and benchmarks from reputable financial databases

Analyst Estimates: Consensus projections from financial research firms

All data is updated regularly to ensure you're working with the most current information available.

Our platform supports analysis of:

US Public Companies: All companies listed on major US exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ)

International Companies: Many international companies with ADRs traded in the US

Sector Coverage: Most sectors except financial services (banks, insurance companies) due to their unique business models

Market Cap Range: From small-cap to large-cap companies

Simply enter the ticker symbol to see if analysis is available. If a company isn't supported, we'll let you know and suggest alternatives.

Our Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model follows Aswath Damodaran's proven methodology:

1. Revenue Projections: Forecast future revenues based on growth rates

2. Operating Margins: Project operating income using margin assumptions

3. Free Cash Flow: Calculate cash flows after taxes, reinvestment, and working capital changes

4. Terminal Value: Estimate long-term value using perpetual growth assumptions

5. Discount Rate: Apply appropriate cost of capital to present-value all cash flows

6. Intrinsic Value: Sum all discounted cash flows to determine fair value per share

Each step is transparent and adjustable, allowing you to understand and modify the analysis.

Assumptions are the foundation of any valuation model:

Growth Rates: Small changes in revenue growth can dramatically impact final valuations

Margins: Operating efficiency assumptions affect profitability projections

Discount Rates: Risk assessments directly influence present value calculations

Terminal Value: Long-term growth assumptions often represent 60-80% of total value

Our platform provides industry benchmarks and historical data to help you make informed assumptions. We also show sensitivity analysis to understand how changes impact your results.

Remember: All models are wrong, but some are useful. The key is making reasonable, well-researched assumptions.

Valuation is an art as much as a science. Important considerations:

Model Quality: Our DCF framework is academically sound and professionally tested

Data Accuracy: We use high-quality financial data sources for consistency

Assumption Dependency: Results depend heavily on your input assumptions

Market Efficiency: Markets may not always reflect intrinsic value in the short term

Use as Guidance: Treat valuations as one tool in your investment decision process, not absolute truth

The goal isn't perfect prediction but rather developing a systematic approach to understanding company value relative to market price.

Our platform works best on modern browsers:

Recommended:
• Chrome 90+ (recommended)
• Firefox 88+
• Safari 14+
• Edge 90+

Features:
• JavaScript must be enabled
• Cookies should be allowed
• Minimum screen resolution: 1024x768

For the best experience, ensure your browser is up to date and disable ad blockers that might interfere with data loading.

For account-related issues, try these steps:

1. Clear Browser Cache: Clear cookies and cached data, then restart your browser

2. Disable Extensions: Temporarily disable browser extensions that might interfere

3. Check Network: Ensure you have a stable internet connection

4. Try Incognito Mode: Test the platform in a private/incognito browser window

If problems persist, contact our support team with:
• Description of the issue
• Browser and version
• Screenshots if applicable

For screenshots: Visit our contact page for email details

We typically respond within 24 hours.

We take data protection seriously:

Data Encryption: All data transmission uses SSL/TLS encryption

Privacy by Design: We collect only necessary information for platform functionality

No Personal Financial Data: We don't store your personal financial information or investment positions

Third-Party Security: Our hosting and data providers meet enterprise security standards

Transparency: Our privacy policy clearly explains what data we collect and how it's used

For detailed information, please review our Privacy Policy.