Applying quantitative techniques to fundamental stock analysis

By Fred Piard

A simple, quick and effective approach to quantitative fundamental analysis

The Lazy Fundamental Analyst presents a collection of strategies based on the application of quantitative analysis to fundamentals-based investing. It will appeal to anyone looking for simple, effective and low-risk investing strategies.

The strategies are organised by ten business sectors: Consumer Discretionary, Consumer Staples, Energy, Financials, Health Care, Industrials, Information Technology, Materials, Telecommunication Service and Utilities. For each sector a strategy is proposed for large capitalisations (companies in the S&P 500 Index) and another is given for small capitalisations (companies in the Russell 2000 index).

For each sector, and each strategy, Fred Piard explains how to follow his ‘lazy’ approach to choose stocks by using only a couple of financial ratios. The strategies eschew detailed due diligence of companies and markets – instead they rely on applying quantitative techniques to filter out the best investments in each sector. These strategies can be managed in just a few minutes per month, making them suitable for those who only have limited time to devote to investing but still wish to have a winning return. Portfolio protection through the use of market timing and hedging is also presented and this can be used with any of the strategies.

If you don’t have the inclination for in-depth fundamental analysis, or only have a few spare minutes per month for your investing, try Fred Piard’s lazy approach to quantitative analysis.

FRED PIARD gained extensive experience in the software industry, information systems consulting and marketing before discovering an interest in the financial markets. Self-taught in this field, he puts into practice what he learnt from his previous activities to build his own methodology. From his years in research he has the ability to combine a systemic point of view and an analytic approach. As a software architect he knows that the things that work the best in the long term are the simplest. As a consultant he experienced the real economy through various sectors: energy, banking, healthcare, manufacturing and public administration. And he learned from marketing that human group behavior can sometimes be modeled, but never predicted. He has a PhD in computer science, an MSc in software engineering and an MSc in civil engineering.