AI Stock Screener: How to Screen Stocks with Artificial Intelligence and Live Data

An AI stock screener lets you describe the stocks you want in plain English ("large caps with P/E under 15 and a dividend yield above 3%") and turns that request into data filters. MarketXLS gives you three ways to do this: the AI-enabled MarketXLS stock screener on the web, an MCP server that connects AI clients such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to MarketXLS data, and the MarketXLS Excel add-in, where you build the screen yourself with formulas like =PERatio("AAPL"). Data speed depends on your plan: Standard serves 15-minute delayed stock quotes, while Advanced and Business serve real-time data.

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IntroductionHistorical DataOptions DataUse-cases

This guide explains how AI screening works, shows example prompts and formulas for fundamental, technical, and options screens, and covers setup.

How AI stock screening differs from filter-based screeners

A traditional screener makes you pick criteria from fixed dropdown lists (P/E, market cap, sector, a few technical indicators) and returns a table. That works for simple screens. It breaks down on compound questions such as:

• "Show me mid-cap healthcare stocks with improving profit margins over the last three years, a current ratio above 1.5, and coverage from at least 10 analysts"
• "Find dividend-paying stocks where the yield is above 3%, free cash flow is positive, and the stock trades below its one-year analyst price target"
• "Screen for stocks with RSI below 30 that also have a P/E under the sector average and positive earnings growth"

With a filter-based tool, you usually export the data to a spreadsheet and build that logic yourself.

An AI stock screener reads the request in natural language, translates it into data queries, applies the filters, and returns the matches. You can then ask it to explain the result or add and relax criteria in the same conversation. When the AI is connected to a financial data source (see our guide to MCP stock data), it is not limited to a preset filter list. It can combine fundamentals, technicals, analyst estimates, and options data in one screen.

Three ways to screen stocks with AI in MarketXLS

MarketXLS offers three screening methods. Each suits a different workflow.

1. The AI-enabled MarketXLS stock screener (web)

The MarketXLS stock screener is a web tool that combines standard filter controls with natural-language input. You type what you want, and the screener converts it into screening rules you can then adjust. You can save screens, change them, and export results. This is the easiest starting point because it needs no setup.

2. The MarketXLS MCP server for AI clients

The MarketXLS MCP server connects AI clients to MarketXLS data. MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI assistants call external tools. Once connected, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, or another MCP-compatible client can call MarketXLS functions to answer a screening request.

Add this to your AI client's MCP configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "marketxls": {
      "url": "https://connect.mcp.marketxls.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

MCP access is included with a MarketXLS plan, and the same account works for Excel and MCP. Standard serves delayed data. Advanced and Business serve real-time quotes and options data. MarketXLS MCP also returns options data such as option chains, implied volatility, and Greeks, so you can combine options criteria with fundamentals in one prompt.

Example MCP prompts

Fundamental screening:

"Find me S&P 500 stocks with a P/E ratio under 15, dividend yield above 3%, and a current ratio above 1.5."

The AI calls MarketXLS functions such as PERatio(), DividendYield(), and Current_Ratio() for each stock and filters the results.

Technical screening:

"Which large-cap tech stocks have an RSI below 35 and are trading below their 50-day simple moving average?"

The AI calls RSI(), SimpleMovingAverage(), and Last() for each candidate.

Options screening:

"Show me stocks with implied volatility above 40% that have earnings coming up and a P/E ratio under 20."

The AI uses ImpliedVolatility() together with fundamental functions.

Value plus growth:

"Find stocks where return on equity is above 15%, price-to-book is under 3, and earnings per share have been growing. Also check that the one-year analyst target price is at least 15% above the current price."

This combines ReturnOnEquity(), PriceToBook(), EarningsPerShare(), OneYrTargetPrice(), and Last().

3. The MarketXLS Excel add-in

The MarketXLS Excel add-in puts the same data in spreadsheet cells, so you can build a screen with ordinary formulas and sort or filter it yourself. The site lists 1,000+ functions. A basic fundamental screen looks like this:

Put 50 or 100 tickers in column A, fill the formulas down, and add conditional formatting or Excel filters. On Windows desktop Excel the formulas are written as shown. In the Microsoft 365 add-in (Excel for Mac and Excel for the web) they use the mxls. prefix, for example =mxls.Last("AAPL"), and some functions differ by platform (check /formulas).

Fundamental screening with AI

Fundamental screens filter stocks by valuation, profitability, balance sheet strength, or growth. The sections below list the MarketXLS functions and example criteria for each type.

Value screening

A value screen looks for stocks trading at low multiples of earnings, book value, or cash flow. Useful MarketXLS functions:

• =PERatio("AAPL"): price-to-earnings ratio
• =PriceToBook("AAPL"): price-to-book ratio
• =EarningsPerShare("AAPL"): earnings per share
• =FreeCashFlow("AAPL"): free cash flow

Example value screen criteria:

• P/E ratio less than 15
• Price-to-book less than 2
• Positive free cash flow
• Positive earnings per share

In an MCP-connected AI client, you would type: "Find stocks with P/E under 15, price-to-book under 2, positive free cash flow, and positive EPS."

A result list does not tell you which criterion eliminated each stock. For a worked example on published value criteria, GuruScreens breaks down which screening rule actually removes each stock across 3,787 companies, including several screens where the rule that reads as strictest turns out to be nearly irrelevant.

Dividend screening

A dividend screen looks for payers whose yield is covered by cash flow. Useful MarketXLS functions:

• =DividendYield("AAPL"): current dividend yield
• =DividendPerShare("AAPL"): dividend per share
• =Ex_DividendDate("AAPL"): ex-dividend date
• =FreeCashFlow("AAPL"): free cash flow (to check dividend sustainability)

Example dividend screen criteria:

• Dividend yield above 3%
• Positive free cash flow (dividend is covered)
• Current ratio above 1.0 (adequate liquidity)
• Total debt-to-equity below 1.5 (manageable leverage)

Growth screening

A growth screen looks for companies expanding revenue and earnings. Useful MarketXLS functions:

• =Revenue("AAPL"): total revenue
• =TotalRevenue("AAPL"): total revenue (alternate)
• =NetIncome("AAPL"): net income
• =EPSEstimateCurrentYear("AAPL"): forward EPS estimate
• =ReturnOnEquity("AAPL"): return on equity
• =ProfitMargin("AAPL"): profit margin

Example growth screen criteria:

• Return on equity above 15%
• Profit margin above 10%
• Positive net income
• EPS estimate for current year higher than trailing EPS

Quality and financial health screening

A quality screen looks for strong balance sheets and profitable operations. Useful MarketXLS functions:

• =Current_Ratio("AAPL"): current ratio (liquidity)
• =TotalDebtToEquity("AAPL"): debt-to-equity ratio
• =GrossProfit("AAPL"): gross profit
• =OperatingIncome("AAPL"): operating income

Example quality screen:

• Current ratio above 1.5
• Debt-to-equity less than 1.0
• Positive operating income
• Gross profit margin above 40%

Technical screening with AI

Technical screens filter stocks by price action and momentum. AI helps most when you combine several indicators with fundamental checks, which would otherwise take nested spreadsheet logic.

Key technical functions

• =RSI("AAPL"): Relative Strength Index (14-period default)
• =SimpleMovingAverage("AAPL", 50): 50-day simple moving average
• =Last("AAPL"): current price
• =Change("AAPL"): price change

Oversold screen

An oversold screen looks for stocks that have fallen hard but are not fundamentally broken:

• RSI below 30 (oversold territory)
• Price below the 50-day moving average
• Positive free cash flow

In your AI client: "Find large-cap stocks with RSI under 30 that are trading below their 50-day SMA but still have positive free cash flow and a P/E under 25."

Momentum screen

A momentum screen looks for stocks in an uptrend that are not yet overbought:

• RSI between 50 and 70
• Price above the 50-day moving average
• Positive recent change
• At least 5 analysts covering the stock

Options screening with AI

Options screening combines implied volatility with fundamentals and technicals. Through the Excel add-in or the MCP server, MarketXLS returns stock-level implied volatility with =ImpliedVolatility("AAPL"), plus option chains and Greeks. Options data is end-of-day on Standard and real-time on Advanced and Business.

Covered call candidates:

"Find stocks I own that have high implied volatility, are trading near resistance, and have a dividend yield above 2%. I want to sell covered calls on them."

Volatility plays:

"Show me stocks where implied volatility is above 50% but the P/E ratio is under 20 and the company has positive free cash flow."

Income strategy screening:

"Find stocks with implied volatility above 30%, dividend yield above 2.5%, and a current ratio above 1.5 as candidates for cash-secured put selling."

For more on options workflows, see our options AI guide.

AI stock screening methods compared

A three-step AI screening workflow

A practical workflow uses all three MarketXLS methods, from broad to narrow.

Step 1: Run a broad screen in the web screener

Open the MarketXLS stock screener and run a broad first pass, for example all US stocks with a market cap above $1 billion and positive earnings.

Step 2: Refine the list with your AI client

Paste the results into your MCP-connected AI client and narrow them:

"From this list of 50 stocks, which ones have a P/E under 20, dividend yield above 2%, RSI between 30 and 60, and are trading below their analyst one-year price target?"

The AI calls the MarketXLS functions for each ticker and filters the list.

Step 3: Compare the shortlist in Excel

For the final 5 to 10 stocks, build a comparison sheet with the MarketXLS Excel add-in:

The formulas refresh when Excel recalculates, so the sheet shows current values each time you open it.

How to set up MarketXLS MCP for AI stock screening

Setting up MCP-based screening takes three steps.

Step 1: Get a MarketXLS account

Choose a plan on the MarketXLS pricing page. Standard ($70/month billed annually) serves delayed data. Advanced ($125/month billed annually) and Business serve real-time data. The same account works for the Excel add-in and MCP.

Step 2: Add the server to your AI client

Use the same configuration in any MCP-compatible client:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "marketxls": {
      "url": "https://connect.mcp.marketxls.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

For Claude Desktop: Go to Settings, then MCP Servers, and add the configuration above.

For Cursor: Open your MCP settings file and add the MarketXLS server entry.

For Windsurf: Navigate to MCP configuration and add the server URL.

Step 3: Start screening

Start a conversation with prompts such as:

• "What's the current P/E ratio and dividend yield for AAPL, MSFT, GOOGL, and AMZN?"
• "Screen these 20 stocks and tell me which ones have RSI below 40 and are trading below their one-year analyst target."
• "Build me a value screen: P/E under 15, positive free cash flow, current ratio above 1.5, and debt-to-equity under 1."

Each function call returns the value at that moment: real-time on Advanced and Business, delayed on Standard.

Example AI screening prompts

These examples are screening ideas for education, not investment advice.

Example 1: A Buffett-style quality screen

This screen looks for quality companies at reasonable prices:

• Return on equity above 15%: =ReturnOnEquity()
• Profit margin above 10%: =ProfitMargin()
• Debt-to-equity under 0.5: =TotalDebtToEquity()
• Positive earnings: =EarningsPerShare()
• P/E under 20: =PERatio()

MCP prompt: "Find stocks with return on equity above 15%, profit margin above 10%, debt-to-equity under 0.5, positive EPS, and P/E under 20. Focus on large-cap companies with at least 10 analysts covering them."

Example 2: A dividend coverage screen

This screen looks for income stocks whose dividends are covered by earnings and cash flow:

• Dividend yield between 2.5% and 6%: =DividendYield()
• Free cash flow positive: =FreeCashFlow()
• Current ratio above 1.2: =Current_Ratio()
• Payout covered by earnings: compare =DividendPerShare() vs =EarningsPerShare()

MCP prompt: "Find stocks with dividend yield between 2.5% and 6%, positive free cash flow, current ratio above 1.2, and where earnings per share is at least double the dividend per share."

Example 3: An oversold recovery screen

This screen looks for quality stocks that have pulled back:

• RSI below 35: =RSI()
• Price below 50-day SMA: compare =Last() vs =SimpleMovingAverage(, 50)
• Positive free cash flow: =FreeCashFlow()
• P/E under 25: =PERatio()
• Analyst target above current price: compare =OneYrTargetPrice() vs =Last()

MCP prompt: "Find stocks with RSI under 35 where the current price is below the 50-day moving average, but free cash flow is positive, P/E is under 25, and the analyst one-year target is at least 10% above the current price."

Example 4: An options income screen

This screen looks for premium-selling candidates with stable fundamentals:

• High implied volatility: =ImpliedVolatility()
• Stable fundamentals: positive =FreeCashFlow(), =Current_Ratio() above 1.0
• Size: =MarketCapitalization() above $5 billion
• Dividend paying: =DividendYield() above 1%

MCP prompt: "Find stocks with implied volatility above 35%, positive free cash flow, current ratio above 1.0, market cap above $5 billion, and dividend yield above 1%, as candidates for selling cash-secured puts."

Tips for better AI stock screening

• Be specific. Instead of "find good stocks," write "Find mid-cap technology stocks with P/E under 20, return on equity above 12%, and positive free cash flow."
• Combine fundamental and technical filters. Use fundamentals to check quality and technicals such as RSI to judge entry timing.
• Screen in passes. Start broad in the web screener, refine with MCP, and finish in Excel.
• Iterate. If a screen returns too many results, ask the AI to add a filter. If it returns too few, relax one.
• Save your screens. Save Excel templates to refresh later, and save favorite screens in the MarketXLS stock screener.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI stock screener?

An AI stock screener is a tool that filters stocks based on criteria you describe in natural language. Instead of fixed dropdown menus, it reads a request like "find undervalued dividend stocks with low debt" and translates it into data filters. MarketXLS offers an AI-enabled stock screener and MCP-based screening through AI clients.

How does MarketXLS MCP work with AI clients?

The MarketXLS MCP server lets an MCP-compatible AI client (Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Cursor, Windsurf, and others) call MarketXLS functions. When you ask the AI to screen stocks, it calls those functions for each ticker and returns the values at that moment. You add one JSON configuration entry to the client. MCP access is included with a MarketXLS plan and uses the same account as Excel.

Can I screen for options data using AI?

Yes. Through MCP or the Excel add-in, MarketXLS returns stock implied volatility (=ImpliedVolatility()), option chains, and Greeks, which you can combine with fundamental and technical criteria. Options data is end-of-day on the Standard plan and real-time streaming on Advanced and Business.

Is the data real-time or delayed?

MarketXLS data speed depends on your plan. On Standard, US stock quotes are 15-minute delayed and options are end-of-day. On Advanced and Business, US stocks, ETFs, and options are real-time. On-demand functions like =Last("AAPL") return a snapshot that updates when Excel recalculates or the AI calls the function again. QM_Stream_* functions in Excel update automatically while streaming is on.

Do I need separate subscriptions for Excel and MCP?

No. The same MarketXLS account works for the Excel add-in and MCP. See the MarketXLS pricing page for plan details.

How many stocks can I screen at once?

In Excel, you can list as many tickers as your sheet can handle and fill the formulas down. Through MCP, the AI client calls functions ticker by ticker, so long lists take longer. The MarketXLS stock screener screens across the US market in one pass.

Explore More

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Start screening stocks with AI

MarketXLS gives you three ways to screen stocks with AI:

1. The MarketXLS stock screener: an AI-enabled web screener with no setup
2. MCP for AI clients: connect Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Cursor, or Windsurf to MarketXLS functions
3. The Excel add-in: build custom screens with formulas in your own spreadsheets

Compare MarketXLS plans to choose delayed (Standard) or real-time (Advanced, Business) data.