Merrill Edge announced the launch of a new stock research experience designed to help the self-directed investor make more informed investing decisions about thousands of U.S. equities. Based on two years of behavioral research, design and technical development, the enhanced capability offers the research and insights that investors may need when choosing stocks. The easy-to-use interface brings together stock research, market data and analysis from multiple leading industry providers. The new experience, powered by patent-pending technology, significantly enhances the current Research section of the Merrill Edge website.
“Investors today face a virtual avalanche of information, but our research tells us they want help understanding what’s important and most relevant to their personal investing strategies,” said Aron Levine, head of Merrill Edge. “Offering this new capability underscores our commitment to financial education and to working with self-directed investors to provide clear and personalized access to the best insights available in the industry today.”
Merrill Edge’s new capability features access to the stock research, tools and analytics of industry-leading research providers, including BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research, Morningstar, MSCI, Recognia, Trefis, Thomson Reuters, CFRA powered by data from S&P Global, and First Call. The experience offers:
- Easy-to-understand, simple explanations – without jargon – that take the mystery out of the basics of investing in stocks.
- Insights about thousands of companies, what’s driving their bottom line, and how they’re performing, including information about a company’s stock price, earnings, dividends and more.
- Award-winning research and insights that explain what’s driving a company’s stock price and why it may or may not be a good time to buy, sell or hold.
- Information about a company’s environmental, social and governance practices so that investors can choose to invest in companies that share their personal values (impact investing).
According to Merrill Edge’s recent research, the impact that investments have on the world have grown in importance to investors. The most recent Merrill Edge Report found that Americans want to invest in companies that benefit social2, political and environmental causes, including health care quality (62 percent) and environmental sustainability (38 percent). However, only 26 percent of investors report evaluating the social, political or environmental impact of the companies they invest in.
Merrill Edge’s new research function should help: the enhanced platform provides MSCI ESG ratings from leading research and ratings firm MSCI ESG Research LLC, along with insight into environment, social and governance risks and opportunities compared to industry peers. Merrill Edge clients can view information that measures a company’s sustainable impact and identify values-aligned investments.
How the new experience works
The new feature helps self-directed clients learn more about a company’s performance compared with the market, their industry and peers. All research lives in one, simple-to-navigate environment on MerrillEdge.com. Clear explanations guide investors through their investment decisions and help them identify what matters most as they consider investing in a company.
“There are currently no other offerings like this in the market,” said Cory Triolo, head of digital client experience for Merrill Edge. “We’re delighted to be able to offer our clients a better way to assess how stocks fit into their overall portfolios as they pursue their financial goals. We look forward to further simplifying the investment experience for all investors.”