> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.driven.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Research a Stock

> A complete walkthrough for analyzing a single stock in Driven: the prompt, what to expect, how to pressure-test the answer, and follow-ups that sharpen the thesis.

This guide walks through researching one company end to end. Use it when you want a balanced, evidence-backed view of a single stock, the foundation for almost any investment decision.

The Skill behind this workflow is [Stock Analysis](/skills/stock-analysis). You do not need to name it; describing the task is enough.

## When to use this

* You are forming a thesis on a company
* You want to pressure-test a position you already hold
* You are preparing before earnings or before a decision

## Step 1: Ask for a structured analysis

Start with a prompt that asks for the full picture and, crucially, asks for evidence and risks:

```text theme={null}
Analyze [TICKER]. Cover business overview, recent developments, revenue and margin trends, valuation, technical context, sentiment, key risks, and what would change the conclusion.
```

If you care about specific drivers, name them. A focused prompt produces a sharper answer:

```text theme={null}
Analyze MSFT. Focus on Azure growth, AI capex, margin durability, valuation, and risks from cloud competition.
```

## Step 2: Run the review checklist

Before you trust the output, check it:

* Does the answer separate facts from assumptions?
* Are recent events dated?
* Are financial figures sourced?
* Are the risks concrete, not generic boilerplate?
* Does the conclusion explain what evidence would change it?

If any of these fail, do not start over — push back in the same conversation.

## Step 3: Pressure-test the thesis

The most valuable step is challenging the view you just got. Ask for the other side:

```text theme={null}
Compare this thesis against the bear case. What's the strongest argument that this is a bad investment?
```

A thesis that survives its own bear case is worth more than one that was never challenged.

## Step 4: Turn it into something you'll keep

When you are satisfied, capture it:

```text theme={null}
Turn this into a one-page investment memo.
```

For long research, ask the Agent to save it as a file in your workspace so you can revisit it later.

## Common mistakes

* **Asking too broadly.** "Tell me about NVDA" gets you a generic summary. Name what you care about.
* **Stopping at the bull case.** If you only read the optimistic view, you have confirmation, not research.
* **Not checking sources.** Always confirm the financial figures came from data, not recall. Ask the Agent to cite them.

## Prompt variations

```text theme={null}
Analyze [TICKER] strictly from a risk perspective. What could go wrong, and how likely is each?
```

```text theme={null}
Analyze [TICKER] as if I already own it at [price]. Should I add, hold, or trim, and why?
```

```text theme={null}
Give me the three things that matter most for [TICKER] over the next year, and how to monitor each.
```

## Related

* [Stock Analysis Skill](/skills/stock-analysis) — the workflow behind this guide
* [Analyze before earnings](/guides/research/analyze-before-earnings) — the earnings-specific version
* [Compare two stocks](/guides/research/compare-two-stocks) — when you're choosing between names
* [Stock research prompts](/prompts/stock-research-prompts) — more copyable prompts