diff --git a/src/main/java/millions/controller/CSVStockFileParser.java b/src/main/java/millions/controller/CSVStockFileParser.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc39da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/millions/controller/CSVStockFileParser.java
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package millions.controller;
+
+import millions.model.Stock;
+
+import javax.swing.*;
+import java.math.BigDecimal;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class CSVStockFileParser {
+  private List<String> lines;
+
+  public CSVStockFileParser(List<String> lines) {
+    if (verifyCSV(lines)) {
+      this.lines = lines;
+    }
+    else {
+      // throw file format error
+    }
+  }
+
+  // returns true if all entries have exactly 3 data points
+  private static boolean verifyCSV(List<String> lines) {
+    return lines.stream()
+          .filter(l -> !(l.startsWith("#") || l.isEmpty()))
+          .anyMatch(l -> l.split(",").length != 3);
+  }
+
+  public List<Stock> parse() {
+    List<Stock> stocks = new ArrayList<>();
+    lines.forEach(l -> {
+      String[] split = l.split(",");
+      String symbol = split[0];
+      String company = split[1];
+      BigDecimal price = new BigDecimal(split[2]);
+      stocks.add(new Stock(symbol, company, price));
+    });
+    return stocks;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/millions/controller/StockInformationReader.java b/src/main/java/millions/controller/StockInformationReader.java
index 0e98210..c942461 100644
--- a/src/main/java/millions/controller/StockInformationReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/millions/controller/StockInformationReader.java
@@ -15,26 +15,13 @@ public StockInformationReader(File file) {
     this.file = file;
   }
 
-  public List<Stock> readFile() {
-    List<Stock> stocks = new ArrayList<>();
+  public List<String> readFile() {
+    List<String> lines = new ArrayList<>();
     try (Reader reader = new FileReader(file); BufferedReader bufferedReader = new BufferedReader(reader)) {
-      List<String> lines = bufferedReader.readAllLines();
-      for (String line : lines) {
-        // Skips comment and blank lines
-        if ( !(line.startsWith("#") || line.isEmpty()) ) {
-          String[] data = line.split(",");
-          // Ensures only fields of the correct length are read
-          if (data.length == 3) {
-            String symbol = data[0];
-            String company = data[1];
-            BigDecimal price = new BigDecimal(data[2]);
-            stocks.add(new Stock(symbol, company, price));
-          }
-        }
-      }
+      lines = bufferedReader.readAllLines();
     } catch (IOException e) {
       e.printStackTrace();
     }
-    return stocks;
+    return lines;
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file