A stock comparison checklist that keeps like with like

Write down the two instruments, listing venues, reporting currencies, and the period you want to compare. A revenue figure in one currency, a market-cap figure from a different date, and a trailing metric beside a forward estimate do not describe the same question.

State the decision context too. A long-term owner, a short-term trader, and an income-focused investor may require different evidence from the same companies.

For U.S. reporting companies, EDGAR provides access to annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K. These documents can help you trace a headline back to the company’s own disclosure.

For companies outside the U.S., use the relevant exchange or regulator filing system and note that reporting rules may differ. A comparable metric may need a different definition or may not be available at all.

A lower multiple is not automatically a better value. It can reflect slower growth, higher debt, a different accounting base, cyclicality, or risks not captured by the multiple. Record the metric definition and the reason it may differ between businesses.

Finish by writing the strongest counterargument for each company and the evidence that would change your view. This is more useful than converting a checklist into a binary ranking.