AI analyst for pennies: 10 prompts for Claude that will replace an expensive stock expert
The market for analytical services is undergoing a tectonic shift. A set of 10 specialized prompts has emerged, transforming Claude into a full-fledged analyst capable of competing with leading consulting firms. These queries cover the complete cycle of company research—from a general business overview to a detailed assessment of risks and management quality.
Each prompt assigns Claude a specific role and parameters for analysis. The first query turns the AI into a senior analyst who prepares a beginner-friendly research report on a ticker: business model, revenue sources, industry trends, competitors, financial results, and bull/base/bear scenarios. The second breaks down the company's latest earnings call, extracting five key takeaways, changes in revenue and margins, management tone, and unexpected surprises.
The third prompt turns Claude into a skeptical analyst who looks for red flags in revenue quality, margins, cash flow, debt, insider actions, and management wording—each issue is assigned a severity score, with an overall risk rating from 1 to 10 at the end.
The fourth and fifth prompts focus on competitive advantages and valuation. The first assesses the company's "moat"—brand, network effects, switching costs, scale, intellectual property—and compares it with competitors. The second compares the company to peers using multiples (P/E, forward P/E, EV/revenue, EV/EBITDA) and determines whether it appears cheap, fairly valued, or expensive.
From DCF to a Beginner's Checklist
The sixth prompt helps build realistic assumptions for a discounted cash flow (DCF) model, creating bear, base, and bull scenarios for revenue growth, margins, tax rate, capital expenditures, and discount rate. The seventh creates a catalyst calendar for 3, 6, and 12 months: earnings reports, product launches, investor days, regulatory decisions, lawsuits, macro events, management changes, buybacks, and dividends.
The eighth prompt evaluates the management team: the CEO's track record, CFO credibility, forecast accuracy, transparency, capital allocation, acquisitions, insider ownership size, and compensation. The ninth simulates an investment committee debate, where Claude creates a bull analyst and a bear analyst, and a neutral judge explains which position is better supported.
The tenth prompt turns Claude into a patient teacher who explains the company in simple terms: what it does, how it makes money, what could go right and wrong, and the state of profitability, growth, debt, and valuation. It ends with a checklist for beginners.
My expert opinion: This collection is a powerful tool for democratizing research, but it's important to remember that Claude does not have access to real-time data and may hallucinate. Use the prompts as a structure for your own analysis, but the final verification of numbers and decision-making always remain with the human. AI is an excellent assistant, but not a replacement for critical thinking.