Understanding Our Focus List
The StockQuirks Focus List provides the results of several scans. Then, at the bottom
of each Focus List, is commentary showing analysis and trade ideas for some of the promising scan picks.
There currently are eight scans.
Scan: Stocks with Up/Down Volume Ratios >= 1.3
This scan calculates the Up/Down Volume Ratio (see Understanding StockQuirks Individual Stock Pages).
An Up/Down Ratio > 1.0 indicates recent accumulation in the stock, and the higher the value the stronger the
accumulation. We've found a value of 1.3 or greater is often found on stocks that show other
characteristics of strong upward movers.
Conversely, starting your search for trade candidates by looking at all stocks with U/D ratios
of 1.3 or greater can lead you to such stocks. This list is sorted by increasing U/D ratio values,
so the last stock in the list has the highest value this week. When looking for trade candidates,
start with the end of this list and work backwards.
Scan: Stocks with a past history of at least a 3.0% average gain and at least a 75% Win/Total ratio over the next 'X' week(s)
We go through all of the StockQuirks Select List and check the Weekly Historical Weekly (Seasonal) Charts.
The value 'X' is the number of weeks from this week through the nearest option expiration date.
We select every stock where:
- has at least 12 years of past history
- has at least a 3.0% average gain from this week through 'X' weeks later.
- has at least a 75% Win/Total ratio, meaning gains in at least 75% of the years.
This provides a list of trade candidates that likely have a good seasonal upward bias and movement
within the timeframe of the nearest option expiration.
Scan: Stocks with a past history of at least a 3.0% average gain and at least a 75% Win/Total ratio over the next 'Y' week(s)
We go through all of the StockQuirks Select List and check the Weekly Historical Weekly (Seasonal) Charts.
The value 'Y' is the number of weeks from this week through the NEXT nearest option expiration date.
We select every stock where:
- has at least 12 years of past history
- has at least a 3.0% average gain from this week through 'Y' weeks later.
- has at least a 75% Win/Total ratio, meaning gains in at least 75% of the years.
This provides a list of trade candidates that likely have a good seasonal upward bias and movement
within the timeframe of the NEXT nearest option expiration.
Scan: Stocks with a past history of at most a -2.0% average gain and at most a 30% Win/Total ratio over the next 'X' week(s)
We go through all of the StockQuirks Select List and check the Weekly Historical Weekly (Seasonal) Charts.
The value 'X' is the number of weeks from this week through the nearest option expiration date.
We select every stock where:
- has at least 12 years of past history
- has at most a -2.0% average gain from this week through 'X' weeks later. This is really looking for
stocks that have had an average loss of at least 2.0%
- has at most a 75% Win/Total ratio, meaning gains in at most 30% of the years. This is really looking
for stocks that have had losses at least 70% of the time.
This provides a list of trade candidates that likely have a good seasonal downward bias and movement
within the timeframe of the nearest option expiration.
Scan: Stocks with a past history of at most a -2.0% average gain and at most a 30% Win/Total ratio over the next 'Y' week(s)
We go through all of the StockQuirks Select List and check the Weekly Historical Weekly (Seasonal) Charts.
The value 'X' is the number of weeks from this week through the NEXT nearest option expiration date.
We select every stock where:
- has at least 12 years of past history
- has at most a -2.0% average gain from this week through 'Y' weeks later. This is really looking for
stocks that have had an average loss of at least 2.0%
- has at most a 75% Win/Total ratio, meaning gains in at most 30% of the years. This is really looking
for stocks that have had losses at least 70% of the time.
This provides a list of trade candidates that likely have a good seasonal downward bias and movement
within the timeframe of the NEXT nearest option expiration.
Scan: Stocks with Historical Volatilities in the bottom 15% of the past year's range
This is a list of all of the StockQuirks Select List stocks that have a current Historical Volatility
in the bottom 15% of the past year's range.
If you like to place debit option trades, such as Long Calls, then this is a list of stocks that
likely have low time values in their option prices. It may be a good start for stocks to
investigate for a possible increase in volatility (movement) in the near future.
Scan: Stocks with Historical Volatilities in the upper 15% of the past year's range
This is a list of all of the StockQuirks Select List stocks that have a current Historical Volatility
in the upper 15% of the past year's range.
If you like to place credit option trades, such as Covered Calls, then this is a list of stocks that
likely have high time values in their option prices. It may be a good start for stocks to
investigate for a possible decrease in volatility (movement) in the near future.
Scan: Stocks with patterns detected in the recent weekly price charts
These are stocks with certain patterns detected in their recent Weekly price charts.
The patterns currently searched for are:
- 3 Weeks Tight
- Bullish Engulfing
- Bearish Engulfing
- Hammer
- Hanging Man
See Understanding Our Individual Stock Pages
Focus on specific stocks
We go through the candidates from the various scans above and comment on the ones
we feel have particular interest for possible trades. We may give trade ideas,
technical analysis, seasonal analysis, recent news on the company, and upcoming
Earnings Release dates.