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We Tested 45 Stocks After the Crash: 18 Passed Our 5 Tests
Key takeaways
- We ran 45 stocks through the Economies 5-Test Screen: 18 passed all five tests.
- The tests: profitable, cash-positive, safe debt, a forward P/E of 30 or lower, and Wall Street analysts agree.
- Amazon, SpaceX and Oracle failed because they spend more cash than they bring in.
- Passing is not a buy signal. Several names swing hard and carry caution flags.
After the Nov 5 crash, many stocks look cheaper. But cheaper is not the same as safe. So we tested 45 popular stocks with one simple screen. Prices are as of Nov 5 close.
The Economies 5-Test Screen
- Profitable: positive net income over the last 12 months from the real business, not one-time accounting gains.
- Cash-positive: positive free cash flow over the last 12 months.
- Safe debt: more cash than debt, or net debt under 3 years of free cash flow.
- Reasonable price: forward P/E of 30 or lower.
- Analysts agree: Wall Street analysts' consensus is Strong Buy.
A stock passes only if it clears all five. This is our own analysis (Economies analysis) using company filings and Wall Street analyst ratings.
The 18 that passed
| Stock | Close (Nov 5) | Caution flag |
|---|---|---|
| NVDA | $181.60 | Very high swings (beta 2.2–2.5) |
| MSFT | $535.93 | — |
| GOOGL | $282.57 | — |
| META | $605.08 | — |
| TSM | $353.10 | Foreign company listed in the US |
| AVGO | $291.53 | — |
| ASML | $1,356.65 | Foreign company listed in the US |
| AMD | $404.40 | Very high swings (beta 2.2–2.5) |
| MU | $656.39 | Boom-and-bust memory cycle; forward P/E of 3.7 can mean the market expects profits to fall; very high swings |
| ANET | $159.16 | — |
| VRT | $176.73 | — |
| MRVL | $133.55 | Very high swings |
| UBER | $68.78 | — |
| APH | $71.64 | — |
| BAC | $49.76 | Banks fell the hardest in 2008 (BAC about -90%) |
| KGC | $21.59 | Earnings follow gold prices, which are sensitive to interest rates |
| CDE | $14.63 | Earnings follow silver prices, which are sensitive to interest rates |
| KO | $95.73 | — |
Source: Economies analysis, company filings, Wall Street analysts. Prices as of Nov 5 close.
Near misses and failures
- Near misses: MCHP (net debt equal to 3.5 years of cash flow), ETN (5.3 years), GEV (forward P/E of 33.2), PBR (3.2 years of cash flow; foreign and government-controlled).
- Failed two or more tests: WMT (forward P/E of 42.5 and net debt of 4.7 years) and VST (debt 3.7 times equity).
- Failed on cash flow: Amazon (AMZN, free cash flow -$47 billion), SpaceX (SPCX, -$39 billion), Oracle (ORCL, -$29 billion) and Nokia (NOK, about zero and negative in the last two quarters).
- Losing money or fake profit: IonQ (its profit is a warrant accounting gain), OKLO, SMR, NNE, RGTI, QBTS and QUBT.
- Not scored: CEG and CCJ, where one test could not be verified.
How to use this list
A pass means a company is profitable, produces cash, is not overloaded with debt, is not priced at an extreme and is liked by analysts. It does not mean the price cannot fall further. Many investors spread purchases over time rather than buying all at once.
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Sources: Company filings; Wall Street analyst ratings; market data as of Nov 5 close.
This is educational content, not financial advice. Markets carry risk; do your own research.
Last updated: Nov 6, 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the Economies 5-Test Screen?
It is our own screen. A stock passes only if it is profitable, cash-positive, has safe debt, has a forward P/E of 30 or lower and Wall Street analysts rate it a Strong Buy.
Does passing the screen mean I should buy?
No. Passing means a company clears five basic checks. It does not remove market risk, and prices can keep falling.
Why did Amazon, SpaceX and Oracle fail?
They failed the cash-flow test: free cash flow over the last 12 months was about -$47 billion for Amazon, -$39 billion for SpaceX and -$29 billion for Oracle.
How recent are the prices?
Prices are as of the Nov 5, 2026 close. Check live prices before making any decision.