There are plenty of things you can look for in a stock that makes it a good investment.
  1. Cash flow is very important. Income statements. LOOK at balance sheets. You can find all of these on Google finance.
  2. P/E A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying more for each unit of income. Look for low P/E
  3. Look for "best of breed" as all investors say.
  4. High yielding stocks eg. 6% 7% 8% not stocks that are yielding at 20% and 30% like shipping companies.
  5. Look for companies with little or NO debt.
  6. The float. A low float makes a stock very volatile.
These are just some tips on what to look for. Please leave comments and tips. Thanks!