Ethical Screening Overview

How Nucore's AAOIFI-aligned four-layer screening engine works.

The Four-Layer Framework

Every stock in the Nucore universe must pass four sequential screening layers before it can appear in signals or portfolio tools. Failure at any layer results in exclusion from the investable universe.

Layer 1: Business Activity Screen

The broadest filter. Companies whose primary business involves any of the following are excluded entirely:

Layer 2: Revenue Purity Screen

Threshold: <5% of total revenue from impermissible sources

Even companies with permissible core businesses may derive incidental revenue from excluded activities. This layer quantifies that exposure. Companies exceeding 5% impermissible revenue are excluded. The impermissible revenue percentage is also used by the Charitable Allocation dashboard to calculate recommended charitable contributions.

Layer 3: Debt Ratio Screen

Threshold: Total debt <33% of total assets (AAOIFI standard)

Companies with excessive leverage relative to their asset base are excluded. This screen reduces exposure to interest-dependent financial structures and improves portfolio quality by favoring financially conservative companies.

Layer 4: Interest Income Screen

Threshold: Interest income <5% of total revenue

Companies that derive material income from interest-bearing activities — even if their core business is permissible — are excluded. This commonly affects large companies holding significant cash reserves in interest-bearing instruments.

Screening Frequency

All four screens are re-evaluated daily using the most current available financial data. When quarterly earnings reports are released, the entire affected universe is re-screened within 24 hours. Stocks that fail a screen mid-period are immediately removed from the signal universe and flagged in your compliance dashboard.

Audit Trail

Every screening decision is logged with timestamps, exact factor values, and the specific threshold that was applied. This audit trail is available in your compliance reports and is exportable for your records. Individual subscribers can view screening history going back 90 days; Institutional subscribers have access to 180 days of history.

Accessing Screening Data via API

Institutional subscribers can access screening data programmatically via the Nucore API. See the API documentation for endpoint details and authentication requirements.