Investment Research Tools
Explore practical, transparent investment research tools for portfolio allocation, stock comparisons, risk and return, correlation, rebalancing, fee impact, and position sizing.
Good investment research starts with clear assumptions, comparable numbers, and an honest view of uncertainty. These free, browser-based workspaces help you organize your own data and explore what it may imply. They do not fetch live market prices or tell you what to buy; you control the inputs and can export your working data.
Choose an investment research tool
Portfolio Allocation Analyzer
See how holdings contribute to your portfolio, compare current weights with target weights, and spot concentration or allocation drift.
Analyze allocation → EquitiesStock Comparison Workbench
Compare company valuation and income metrics side by side using figures you provide, rather than mixing stale or inconsistent quote feeds.
Compare companies → PerformanceRisk & Return Analyzer
Turn a series of periodic returns into annualized return, volatility, Sharpe ratio, drawdown, and a growth-of-$10,000 chart.
Analyze returns → DiversificationCorrelation Matrix Analyzer
Explore how asset returns moved together over the same periods with a pairwise correlation matrix and heatmap.
Explore correlation → PortfolioPortfolio Rebalancing Planner
Translate target weights into estimated buy or sell amounts, while keeping the calculation separate from trading or tax advice.
Plan a rebalance → Long-term costsInvestment Fee Impact Analyzer
Compare projected balances under different annual fee assumptions to make the long-run effect of costs easier to see.
Compare fee scenarios → Trade planningPosition Sizing & Risk Planner
Estimate a position size from account equity, a chosen risk budget, entry price, and stop price before considering a trade.
Plan position size →How to use these tools responsibly
Start with data from a consistent source and date. Ratios can be misleading when companies use different accounting periods, when earnings are negative, or when one-off items distort results. Historical returns describe what happened in a selected sample, not what will happen next. Correlation can change sharply during market stress, and a target allocation does not account for every investor's liquidity needs, tax position, or time horizon.
For repeatable research, keep a copy of the source file, record the date and currency, and use the CSV export as a working paper rather than as an official record. Where a tool annualizes periodic data, its result depends on the frequency you select and on the quality of the input series.
A repeatable investment research method
Before comparing two securities, align the reporting period, currency, accounting basis and data source. A low price-to-earnings ratio may reflect temporary earnings, debt or declining demand rather than an overlooked bargain. Compare several measures together and write down what would change your view.
1. Normalize the inputs
Use the same date range and return frequency. Distinguish annual figures from quarterly figures and nominal returns from inflation-adjusted returns.
2. Test downside risk
Consider drawdowns, volatility, liquidity and concentration alongside expected return. A single risk metric rarely describes the full investment experience.
3. Record uncertainty
Keep assumptions, source dates and limitations with each export so future reviews can reproduce the calculation rather than rely on memory.
For calculations focused on interest, growth or cash-flow assumptions, see the Financial Tools collection. For a CSV that needs inspection before analysis, use the Data Analysis Tools.
Frequently asked questions
Do these tools show live stock prices?
No. They are input-driven research tools. Add values from your preferred data source and note the date, currency, and methodology so comparisons remain meaningful.
Can I import and export my research data?
Most tools in this collection support CSV import and export. Each tool describes its expected column headings and will report when the imported file does not match the required structure.
Are the results financial advice?
No. Results are estimates based on your assumptions and data. They do not account for every tax, legal, liquidity, execution, or personal circumstance and should not be treated as a recommendation to buy or sell an investment.
Is my data uploaded to GIR?
The calculations run in your browser and the tool code does not send the entered portfolio rows to a GIR server. Your browser, extensions, or downloaded files may have their own data-handling behavior, so avoid using a shared device for sensitive records.
Related section: Financial Tools. For educational research only; verify source data and assumptions independently.
A practical note on Investment Research Tools
The question worth answering: This page is most useful when you focus on building an evidence trail before reaching an investment conclusion. Combining valuation, risk, correlation and fee checks into a repeatable research note. Start by recording the input source, the date or period covered, and any assumption you had to supply yourself. That makes the result easier to reproduce and helps another person understand what the output actually says.
How to use the result responsibly
Read the output alongside the inputs rather than as a stand-alone verdict. Change one assumption at a time and observe whether the conclusion changes materially. If the tool accepts a range, test more than one plausible case; if it accepts a file or pasted data, preserve an untouched copy of the original. Where the result will support a published claim or an important decision, keep a brief record of the method and source date.
A mistake specific to this kind of task
A collection of metrics is not a thesis; measures from different dates or definitions may not be directly comparable. This is why the output should be described as an estimate, diagnostic or comparison where appropriate—not as a guarantee. Avoid mixing currencies, periods, definitions or data sources merely because their labels look similar.
Independent check before acting
Record the data source and date, compare against a relevant peer or benchmark and state what evidence would change the conclusion. If the result conflicts with a statement, official record, provider terms or the original dataset, investigate the difference before relying on it. The tool is intended to make a task clearer, not to replace the source system or professional advice when the consequences are material.
Reader takeaway: Keep the assumptions visible, verify the underlying evidence and use this result as one part of a reasoned decision.