How the SmallCapData Screener Works

4 min read Methodology

SmallCapData runs a proprietary screening algorithm across the ASX universe multiple times each trading day. Here's a high-level overview of the process.

Step 1: Universe Filtering

The screener starts with every listed security on the ASX — over 2,200 tickers. It applies a series of pre-filters based on market capitalisation, liquidity, and trading activity to remove securities that don't meet minimum thresholds. This narrows the field significantly before the computationally intensive scoring begins.

Step 2: Multi-Dimensional Scoring

Each surviving ticker is scored across four proprietary dimensions, each contributing a weighted portion to the composite score:

Technical
Multiple momentum, trend, and volatility indicators are combined to assess the technical posture of each stock
Catalyst
Recent ASX announcements are scanned for material events — clinical trials, contracts, director activity, and more
Sentiment
Community discussion levels and directional sentiment are aggregated from multiple online sources
Fundamental
Financial health metrics relevant to small-cap and pre-revenue companies, including cash position and insider activity

The exact weighting, thresholds, and indicator combinations are proprietary and are periodically refined based on backtesting results.

Step 3: Composite Score & Ranking

The dimension scores are blended into a single composite score (0–100) using a proprietary weighting model. Tickers are ranked and only those above an internal threshold are included in the output.

Step 4: Reference Levels

For each qualifying ticker, the algorithm calculates volatility-adjusted reference levels. These are derived from proprietary ATR-based calculations that account for each stock's individual volatility profile. They are mathematical outputs, not price predictions or recommendations.

The screener is a quantitative tool. It identifies tickers exhibiting certain mathematical characteristics — it cannot predict whether a stock will go up or down. All output should be treated as a starting point for your own research.

GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY — This article is produced by an algorithm and does not constitute personal financial advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. SmallCapData does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). You should consider seeking independent financial advice before making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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