I’ve subscribed to VL a few times over the past 30 years, but (1) the paper copies became burdensome once we started traveling a lot, and (2) the digital and screening capabilities back then were pretty clunky.
So I’m asking, please: Can I subscribe to a digital version only? Which one(s) of the VL offerings are most useful, if any? How do I get the best deal?
Thanks!
–Fungi (individual investor, always looking to save a buck)
So I’m asking, please: Can I subscribe to a digital version only? Which one(s) of the VL offerings are most useful, if any? How do I get the best deal?
There’s a digital only version called Investment Analyzer. They don’t promote it, but I believe that if you ask for it you can still get it. IA is the product we use for the screens that are still (sometimes) discussed on this board. I’ve had a subscription through Fidelity for many years at half of the regular price. It doesn’t appear to still be offered to new subscribers, or if it is it’s very well hidden.
Elan
Our library has the print and online versions available. I use the library access for free. Worth the price and then some.
There’s a digital only version called Investment Analyzer. They don’t promote it, but I believe that if you ask for it you can still get it.
Yup.
As it happens, I asked recently for a friend what the cheapest combo fwas which gave the Analyzer capability.
(ability to run their Windows application, download weekly updates, and export data).
Current name “VL Investment Analyzer”.
$698/year, or $499/year if you sign up for five years. (and proportional intermediate discounts for 2,3,4 years)
Unless you can find a promotion somewhere, or talk your way into one, that’s the current price.
If you don’t want those local abilities, just on line screener etc, it’s $100/year cheaper, the “VL Investment Survey” product.
Whether that’s worth it or not depends on (a) whether you’re likely to use the information, and (b) how big your portfolio is.
It probably doesn’t make sense for a portfolio under (for example) $200k, which would peg the cost at a meaningful 0.3% per year.
And that would probably have to be just the fraction of your portfolio that might benefit from it.
A Value Line subscription is not going to help your cash stash or index fund.
Despite their many well known flaws, I wouldn’t live without it.
Other than being the input to many possible MI screens, I find the key value is the way they pulling together a lot of information,
including all the obviously required adjustments, in a single place, with a fair amount of history.
Jim