This year, I want less. Less coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Less inflation. Less supply chain issues. Less severe storms. Less bad behavior on planes.

There are some things I do want more of though. More good portfolio returns. More economic recovery. More acts of kindness from one stranger to another. (“You may say I’m dreamer, but I’m not the only one,” as John Lennon so eloquently put it.)

Many of these are, of course, beyond my and your control. We certainly do not get to choose the type of market and economic conditions that exist over our lifetimes. We can choose to be a better version of ourselves every day.

James Cloonan founded AAII in 1978 to help individual investors become more effective managers of their own assets. He believed that with the right education, information and tools, every individual investor can become a better version of their investing selves.

Though he is no longer with us (Jim would have turned 91 this month), an approach Cloonan embraced was screening for stocks based on their quantitative characteristics. The AAII Model Shadow Stock Portfolio—one of the longest-running real-world factor portfolios—is a lasting example of this. The strategy identifies stocks based on their small size, low valuation and profitability. It is a low-turnover, quantitative approach that has served individual investors well over the long run. John Bajkowski provides the latest update to the portfolio.

The AAII stock screens are another example of using quantitative strategies to identify viable stock candidates. Through the end of November, more than half of the AAII screens (34) had performance greater than the S&P 500 index.

It’s important to note that the screens themselves are not portfolios. A slight change in a stock’s quantitative characteristics (e.g., its price-earnings ratio rises 0.1 points above a screen’s maximum threshold) can cause it to no longer pass. In a real-world portfolio, we’d wouldn’t immediately sell a stock just because it no longer precisely meets our buy rules.

Where screens shine are as investment idea generators. They will often lead you to stocks possessing the traits you desire. I started using stock screens well before coming to AAII, and I remain a strong proponent of them today.

Our annual AAII stock screens update can be found here. Derek Hageman explains which screens worked really well and which ones, well, didn’t shine as brightly.

In addition to our annual stock screens review, January also brings resolutions. Perhaps you have set some of your own. I’ve got a few. Continue to avoid catching the corona-virus. (Yes, I’ve been boosted.) Don’t break any bones. (I had, shall we say, a boo-boo last year.) Use the credits my wife and I received after canceling our late March 2020 trip on Norwegian Cruise Lines. (We have a trip booked for late this year.) Complete a second marathon. (I’ll be joining 40,000 of my “closest friends” when I run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 9.) Remain disciplined in terms of saving, especially for retirement.

Regardless of whether you established New Year’s resolutions or not, chances are you have financial goals you want to meet. In our PRISM Wealth-Building Academy, I’ve seen members write about ensuring they have enough money to last them throughout retirement, travel and leave inheritances, among other aspirations.

PRISM is designed to help you align your investing decisions with your goals. It provides a framework for creating a plan you can use to be a successful and disciplined investor. I walk you through the entire process so you can see how it all fits together. To create your own wealth-building plan, come join us in the PRISM Academy at www.aaii.com/learnandplan.

Finally, a follow-up to last month’s editor’s note. We are continuing to work with our printer on the paper supply issues. Many AAII members switched to digital delivery in response. Among the benefits they now receive is accessing the AAII Journal at the start of each calendar month and saving articles for future reading. They also get to take advantage of our completely redesigned AAII Journal home page (www.aaii.com/journal), which is now easier to navigate and links to associated video content. Credit for the redesign goes to our art director, Annie Prada.

To switch to digital delivery, contact Member Services at members@aaii.com, call 312-676-4307 or go https://user.aaii.com/PersonifyEbusiness/My-Account, scroll down to My Subscriptions and click “Opt Out” by AAII Journal. You’ll lessen your carbon footprint while getting more from the AAII Journal.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year,