Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Two Oil and Gas Refining Stocks Poised To Explode on Earnings

Tesoro (TSO) is reporting earnings tonight, Wednesday, July 30th, after market hours. The company beat earnings by 65% the last quarter and has a dividend yield of 1.7%. Earnings are expected to grow 37% over the next three years, but sales only a paltry 3%. If the company can keep surprising on earnings, based on current valuations, the stock could advance another 50 - 100% over the next 12 - 18 months. The stock is forming a first stage flat base on top of much longer cup and handle base. Positions can be initiated as the stock attempts to breakout above the $61 - 63 range. Protective stops should be placed around $57.




Western Refining (WNR) is expected to report earnings on Tuesday, August 5th, before the market opens. The company has beaten earnings over the last two quarters by 7 and 10% and has a dividend yield of 2.4%. The stock is forming a cup and handle base on top of a cup and handle base. The base contains several weeks of tight closes, a sign of major support. Positions can be initiated as the stocks begins to approach the 42.77 handle high. Protective stops should be placed around $41 or the low of the handle. The stock has a technical price target range of $55 - 65. This is a late stage base and will be more prone to failure.




Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Two Major Reasons Market Can Rally Further

The market has tried, today, yesterday, the day before, the day before that, and for the last three weeks, to fall into and follow through on a correction. But no matter how much or how bad the news that has been thrown at it, or how ugly the price volume action (stalling and distribution) has been, the market has been able to hold in a fairly tight range. There has been an elevated expectation of the FED tightening their end of QE and raising interest rate time tables. The worry is probably premature and the FED will stay with its current time tables, potentially sparking another short relief rally.

High quality leading growth stocks, Facebook (FB), Baidu (BIDU), Under Armour (UA), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), and Biogen Idec (BIIB), gapped out of bases in strong, well above average volume, and are holding tight, or, in CMG and BIIB's case, following through, despite the pullback in the market the past three days. New breakouts have been joining the leadership, and more are in the wings ready to breakout. Fleetcor Technologies (FLT) broke out of a flat base on top of a cup and handle base today, in well above average volume, and Chinese stock 58.com (WUBA) and Medivation (MDVN), featured yesterday in, Biotech Company Ready To Explode on Earnings, are on the verge of breaking out of cup and handle bases too. Review the (98) Leading Growth Stocks Analysis for more trading ideas and appreciation potential.


Just keep in mind, all the red flags discussed recently, Frustration Not The Only Reason To Hate The Market and Bearish Price Volume Action Dominates Stock Market, are still in place and cannot be ignored, but the fact that the market hasn't sold off despite having a lot of reasons to do so and leading growth stocks are setting up, breaking out, and holding, warrants taking positions on the long side and potentially using intra-day pullbacks as an opportunity to add more. But, leading growth stocks should keep following through, or aggressively tighten stops to protect profits and cut losses short. This will most likely continue to be another, in a series of short, but profitable rally's, since the beginning of the year.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Biotech Company Ready To Explode on Earnings - Medivation Inc (MDVN)

Medivation (MDVN) is expected to report earnings on Thursday, August 7th. This is the first quarter the company is expected to turn permanently profitable. Sales have grown over 60% the past five years and are expected to grow another 50% over the next three years. Earnings have been negative since the company's founding, but are expected to grow 50% over the next three years, with triple digit growth expected over the next four to six quarters. Analysts have been raising their estimates over the last sixty days.

The stock has spent the last twenty months essentially shuffling sideways after an initial 600+% advance from its cup shaped base breakout on November 3, 2011. The stock has advanced over 800% to its recent high in February, and is currently forming a well behaved, first stage, cup and handle base.

Our short term price target range is $110 - 120 and $160 - 200 over the next 12 - 18 months if the company can deliver and exceed sales and profit expectations, and breakout above the approximate $80 handle high in well above average volume. Aggressive traders could accumulate inside the handle. Protective initial stops should be placed around the $73 - 74 range.

Full Disclosure: Hold Position


Thursday, July 24, 2014

Frustration Not The Only Reason To Hate The Market

The market stalled today in above average volume, making this the 5th distribution day for the Nasdaq and SP 500 in the last three weeks despite the new rally attempt off the twenty day moving average. It seems every time volume runs higher, the market stalls or sells off, but on up days volume dries up. Even on gap up days the last two weeks the market has failed to follow through after the first hour and a half, either stalling for the day or in some cases closing near the lows of the day (7/14, 7/16, 7/22, and 7/23). The advance decline line which has led the market into new highs for the better part of the last year, has lagged as the market is reaching new highs. Accumulation is scant at best. About the only good news, no matter how bad the news, the market just seems to shake it off, for now.



Leading growth stocks are gyrating wildly from day to day, especially intra-day, making initiating and holding positions with tight stops very difficult, if near impossible. Most stocks are just stuck in wide and loose consolidations with just a handful of high quality growth stocks breaking out in above average volume, but out of later stage consolidations, which are more prone to failure. Facebook (FB), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), and Under Armor (UA), gapped and broke out of cup and handle bases.

The story on the short side is not much different. Some stocks manage to follow through to the downside, but most just squeeze back into their consolidations or are squeezing above resistance levels to shake out positions. But most consolidations remain intact and in some cases a few hours to days from tightening up. Ocwen Financial (OCN) and CREE (CREE) are threatening to slice through their respective fifty day moving average in above average volume. Review the short trading ideas section for more potential setups.

Traders can hold well behaving positions, but profits have to be protected and losses minimized. The lack of follow through in either direction doesn't provide enough of a cushion to get aggressive or stay confident in positions. Strong stocks should breakout and keep moving, not stall around the breakout area. Traders should have learned over the past few months, profitable portfolios can turn negative in just a day or two, especially when there are so many red flags.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Two Stocks Poised to Implode on Earnings This Week

Gilead Sciences (GILD) is reporting earnings Wednesday, July 23rd, after hours. The company has beaten earnings expectations over the last three quarters and analysts have revised the current quarters earnings estimates over 50% higher in the last ninety days. Margins are at multi-year highs and earnings are expected to grow 79% and sales 35% over the next three years.

Despite the market rally and beating earnings estimates the last two quarters by 10% and 62% respectively, the stock has failed to make much progress since the beginning of the year. It recently broke out of a late stage, v-shaped cup and handle base in below average volume. Since the breakout, the stock has been trading wildly with several above average distribution days, but has managed to hold the twenty day moving average.

The stock is up over 400% in two years and expectations are extremely high. Considering the late stage, v-shaped base, poor price volume action since the breakout, and lofty expectations, an earnings report that fails to amaze the street, will be met with major selling and potentially see the stock trade down below the two hundred day moving average.



Amazon (AMZN) is reporting earnings on Thursday, July 24th, after hours. The company has missed earnings estimates significantly in two out of the last four quarters and analysts have revised their expectations downwards. They now expect the company to report a loss of .15, down from an expected gain 90 days ago, and sales growth of 23%. Long term, the company is expected to grow earnings and sales, 125% and 21% over the next three years.

While the market has been making new fifty two week and all time highs, the stock has been forming a cup shaped base for the better part of this year. Volume is picking up as the stock climbs the right side of the cup, a positive sign, but the majority of the pattern has been formed below the two hundred day moving average, a major negative.

Expectations have been ratcheted down so much over the last few months, that a beat on the top and bottom line, with margin improvement, could launch the stock over $400. But, a miss, especially on the top line and margins, would send investors for the exits and the stock could be down over 10+% in after hours.



Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Bearish Price Volume Action Dominates Stock Market

Price volume action from the start of the rally was worrisome, but over the last two weeks, price volume has clearly turned bearish, indicating the path of least resistance is down. The market has attempted to rally on a few days and reverse higher on others, but volume has failed to materialize. When volume does run higher, the market has either been distributed or stalled (another form of distribution). The NYSE advance decline, the main positive during the rally, has maintained its down trend. The good news is that it marked new highs before the pullback began, indicating that a bear market is not in the cards, yet. But a major correction that feels like a bear market is completely possible.

Leading growth stocks have stopped breaking out and started breaking down. Stocks have bounced with the market the last few days, but volume has been lower. Most will need at least a few weeks to consolidate, while a few could be ready over the next two weeks assuming their consolidation do not fall apart. Of course not all stocks are acting poorly: Whiting Petroleum (WLL) gapped off the twenty day moving average, in well above average volume, on news it was buying Kodiak Oil and Gas (KOG), which itself gapped out of a four week tight pattern on the news. 

Short trading idea stocks have started to roll over in heavier volume and tighten for further downside. Recent breakdowns have been able to hold or follow through to the downside. Middleby (MIDD), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), Bofi Holdings (BOFI) are rolling over at the fifty day moving average in heavier volume.

With the market clearly in a correction, traders should use strength to sell any remaining long positions with little to no profit cushion, and initiate short positions, if their not in cash or short already. Stocks should rollover and keep following through to the downside or consider tightening stops to minimize losses and protect small profits.

Full Disclosure: Position in LVS.

Short Trading Idea: Yahoo (YHOO) Reminiscent of 3COM (COMS)

Yahoo (YHOO), once the search engine leader and internet king, has fallen behind the likes of Google (GOOG), Facebook (FB), Twitter (TWTR), and many more in the new era of Internet 2.0. A new CEO and rumors of an eventual Ali Baba (BABA) IPO, of which Yahoo owns 24%, helped the stock advance just over 250% after breaking out of a cup and handle base the week of October 26, 2012 to its high on January 8, 2014.

The hype surrounding Marissa Mayer's ability to turn the company around has not come to fruition as of yet, if it ever does. Earnings have grown approximately 17% and sales have been negative during the advance. Analyst don't expect much out of the company over the next three years either. Earnings are expected to slow down to 8% and sales will show no growth at all. Not exactly growth type performance that warrants a stock trading at almost thirty times earnings, crediting most of the move more to Ali Baba's IPO then anything the company has actually done.

3COM (COMS) was in a similar situation when it announced the spin off of Palm (PALM), the hottest handheld device before Apple's (AAPL) Ipod and Iphone, in 2000. The company, once the king of modems, ran up over 2,300% from 1992 to 1996, but languished for the remainder of the bull market until announcing the Palm spin off. The stock then ran up up just over 350% in under five months until it topped on the Palm IPO, eventually being taken over by Hewlett Packard (HP) in 2009 well off its all time highs.
















Yahoo is now in the process of forming a head and shoulder top with earning expected today after the closing bell. If the company does not start to show signs of turning sales and earning's growth around soon, the Ali Baba boost will not last long past the IPO. Based on current projections, the stock could fall back to near pre-breakout levels around $15 over the next 12 - 18 months and even lower if the market enters a sever bear market over the next few years.










Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Stock Market Exhibits Danger in Ignoring Warnings

The market suffered a major distribution day today. All the major indices were down close to one percent or more in heavy, above average volume. The SP 500, the lead index, registered its eighth stalling or distribution day in the last four weeks and the Nasdaq registered its sixth. The market has shown little in the way of accumulation since the follow through, except for a day or two here and there in areas where shorts would be forced to cover, squeezed, and longs panicked into buying...near new highs. As expected (Shortage of Sellers Explains Rally), the market began stalling and distributing as the Nasdaq finally joined the Dow and SP 500 at new highs for the year. And nothing like a little fluff over the old highs to squeeze the most bears and trap the bulls.

Leading growth stocks lagged for most of this rally, sold off significantly in higher volume. The few stocks that managed to make progress are now too extended, and most breakouts that failed to make any progress are failing or on the verge of failing. Wide and loose, late stage bases, low volume breakouts, lack of follow through after breakouts, and lagging relative strength lines, plagued leading growth stocks from the beginning. Oil and gas stocks were the highlight of the day, closing higher or at the highs of the day: Pioneer Natural Resourced (PXD), Kodiak Oil and Gas (KOG), Concho Resources (CXO).

Short trading idea stocks have started to breakdown in heavy, above average volume. Costar Group (CSGP) and Alpha Natural Resourced (ANR) rolled off their fifty day moving averages, Amazon (AMZN) and Jinko Solar (JKS) sliced through their ten and twenty day moving averages, and Yahoo (YHOO), Wynn Resorts (WYNN), and Sohu.com (SOHU) sliced through their fifty day moving averages.

This has been a difficult few months to make money on the long side and warning signs (Market Distribution Joins Growing List of Sell Signals) added up by the day. Investors/traders had to take profits, or at a minimum, tightened stops to protect profits in over extended positions, and/or to protect small profits and prevent losses in lagging positions. As seen by today's market action, eventually the market acts on its warnings, and weeks of profits can vanish in a matter of hours. Cash or close to cash with a short or two is the best position. Weak rally attempts over the next few days should provide more short entry opportunities and some day trading long trades.

PREVIOUS MARKET UPDATES

Market Distribution Joins Growing List of Sell Signals - Read More


Shortage of Sellers Explains Rally - Read More


Deceitful Market Difficult to Navigate - Read More


Market Rally Resumes Poor Price Volume Action Dominates - Read More


Trend less Market Atrocious For Traders - Read More



Monday, July 07, 2014

Short Trading Idea: Pharmacyclics Inc. (PCYC) - Late Stage Base Failure

Pharmacyclics (PCYC) has been one of the bull markets biggest winners. Rising over 6,000% after breaking out of a flat base, inside of a cup and handle base, the week of September 11, 2009 above a $2.41 pivot point. At the breakout, the fundamentals were non existent. It was just a story. There was no sales or earnings growth, company was losing money, and estimates showed no signs of strong expectations and more losses.

Today, the fundamentals are fantastic. Sales and earnings are expected to grow 67% and 34% respectively, over the next three years. The problem is, even at lofty valuations, three times growth, the stock is fairly valued at these levels 12 - 18 months out. But a single hiccup, especially after poor recent guidance and estimates for this year and next few quarters extremely poor, could panic institutions into heavy selling.

The stock topped out the week of February 21, 2014 after gapping and breaking out of a late stage, double bottom with a high handle base on a strong earning's report, at just over $154. The relative strength line never confirmed the new high. The breakout failed over the next two weeks, eventually falling 46.7% and slicing through the fifty and two hundred day moving averages in heavier volume.

The stock has spent the last three month trying to breakout above the fifty day moving with little success while the market has rallied, and is currently in the process of stalling at the fifty day moving average for the third time. A breakdown below the fifty day moving average, in heavier volume, could cut the stock in half down into the $50 - 60 range. This would be within range of how far, on average, big winners fall after topping. Protective stops should be placed above $105 or the recent high just before the stock breaks down.

Click To Read Past Trading Ideas

Full Disclosure: No Current Position



Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Short Trading Idea: CME Group (CME)

CME Group (CME) has been forming a head and shoulder top for the last year while the market has been rallying higher. The stock sliced through the neckline in heavy volume back in April and has been digesting that sell off ever since. It has  attempted to rally back above the fifty day moving average three times with no success. The first two attempts were in below average volume and recently the stock has been stalling in heavier volume...no price progress. A decisive break, in heavier volume, below the fifty day moving average, could see the stock fall to new fifty two week lows and next support levels in the low to mid $60's. Protective stops should be placed around $72 to protect from major losses.

Full Disclosure: Hold Position