AI Trader | Minervini: 37 SEPA setups, TBXU best at 3.13:1

Mark Minervini

37 actionable out of 432. That’s a selective tape, and I like it. TBXU is the only one I’d call a true pivot—volume at 12 times average on that breakout is the confirmation I need, not hope. The 3.13 reward-to-risk is solid, but I’m buying at 40.42 with a tight stop, not chasing a dime above it. The other 36? Most are just extended or sloppy—leave them for the amateurs. Remember, it’s not about how many trades you take, it’s about how many you win with the odds stacked.

The Trend Template Gate

Market: Confirmed Uptrend. Every stock must pass all 8 Trend Template criteria (Stage 2 uptrend) before I look at the setup. Today’s scan covers 8 deepvue scans merged and deduplicated.

Today at a Glance

Scanned 432. Actionable 37 · Watch 83 · Avoid 312.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🔴 RCMT -0.9% — SOLD

🔴 HZO -0.6% — BUYOUT RELEASE

🟢 ETON +3.1% — SOLD

🔴 UMAC -13.9% — STOP HIT: $30.15 <= stop $32.23

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

TBXU · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: TBXU is tightening up exactly the way I want to see before a move. The base is contracting, volume is drying up on the pullbacks, and we’re sitting right at that pivot—40.42. That’s not a guess, that’s the line in the sand. If it takes that price with conviction, I’m in. The risk is defined at 37.19, which gives me a stop that’s tight enough to keep the damage small if I’m wrong. The reward is 50.53, and at 3.13 to 1, that’s a trade worth taking. I don’t need to predict the market; I need to react to the trigger. The setup is imminent, and the volume is already showing 12.377—that tells me interest is building. When the pivot breaks, I want to be there, not watching from the sidelines.

Why wait: Because “imminent” is not “now.” I don’t buy the base; I buy the breakout. If TBXU stalls at 40.42 or fails to hold above it for even a few minutes, that’s a failed attempt, and I’m not going to pay tuition for a lesson I already know. The stop at 37.19 is 8% below the entry—that’s acceptable, but only if I’m getting the confirmation of volume and price action at the exact moment of the break. If it gaps through, I’ll let it come to me; if it pulls back into the base, I wait for the next pivot. Patience is not the opposite of action—it’s the prerequisite for it. I’d rather miss the first move than take a bad entry and get shaken out. The market will give me another chance if it’s real. My job is to be ready, not early.

RCMT · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: RCMT is sitting right at the pivot, and the base is tight enough that I’m willing to commit capital. The buy is 40.78, and that’s not a suggestion—that’s the line in the sand. If it triggers, I want to be there, because the stock is showing the kind of contraction that precedes a move. Volume is 8.245, which tells me there’s participation, but I need to see that volume expand on the breakout itself. The risk-to-reward is 3.13, which is above my minimum threshold, but that’s only relevant if I’m disciplined on the stop. At 37.52, I’m risking about 8%—that’s my line, and I won’t negotiate with it. The target at 50.98 gives me room to let winners run, but I’m not married to the number; I’m married to the process.

Why wait: Because “imminent” is not “confirmed.” I don’t buy potential—I buy the pivot. If RCMT stalls here, or if it breaks down without volume, that setup is dead, and I’m not going to catch a falling knife just because the pattern looked good on a screen. The RS is a question mark, and that’s a red flag. I need to see relative strength confirm the move, not just price. If the stock gaps through 40.78 but volume is weak, I’m not chasing—I’m waiting for a retest or a better entry. Patience is a weapon. The market will give me another chance if it’s real. If it’s not, I’ve saved my capital for a trade that actually earns it. Don’t confuse action with urgency. The best trades are the ones you take when everything lines up—not when you’re hoping it will.

AEHR · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The setup is right here, and I don’t need the market to give me a second chance. AEHR has tightened up into a proper VCP—the contraction is there, the volume is drying up on the pullbacks, and we’re sitting at the pivot with a 0.976 volume ratio, which tells me the supply is exhausted. My buy is 147.5, and that’s the line in the sand. If it triggers, I’m in. I’m not waiting for a higher close or a confirmation candle because by the time you get that, the risk is wider and the reward is thinner. The stop at 135.7 is about 8% below, which is acceptable for this volatility, and the target at 184.38 gives me over 3 to 1. That’s the math I care about. The pattern is set, the timing is imminent, and I’m ready to pull the trigger the moment price tells me it’s time.

Why wait: Waiting is for people who don’t have a plan, and I’m not one of them. If I hesitate, I’m either buying too late—chasing a move that’s already extended—or I’m sitting on the sidelines while the stock does exactly what I predicted. The only reason to wait is if the pivot fails, and that’s what my stop is for. I’m not going to let fear of a false breakout keep me out of a high-probability setup. If AEHR doesn’t hit 147.5, I don’t buy. Simple. But if it does, I’m acting immediately, because the best trades are the ones where you’re decisive at the exact moment of maximum tightness. The market rewards speed and discipline, not hesitation. My edge is in the execution, not the hoping.

HZO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: HZO is tightening up right in the pocket where I want to see it. The base is contracting, and the buy point at 52.56 is the exact pivot—not a penny before, not a penny after. Volume is already showing 1.343, which tells me institutional interest is building, not fading. The risk-to-reward at 3.13 is acceptable, but that’s not the edge. The edge is the timing. You don’t buy a stock because it’s cheap or because the story sounds good. You buy it because it’s at the precise moment where supply has dried up and demand is about to take over. That’s now. If it breaks on volume, I want to be in before the crowd, not chasing the move after it’s already extended.

Why wait: Because the status says IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don’t care how tight the VCP looks or how good the setup appears on paper—if it doesn’t trigger the pivot with volume, it’s just a guess. Waiting costs you a few cents on the entry, but chasing costs you the whole trade. If it gaps through 52.56 and then stalls, you’re buying into a failed breakout, and that stop at 48.36 is going to hurt. The market doesn’t reward anticipation; it rewards execution. So I’m not going to front-run this. I’m going to let the tape tell me when it’s real. If it doesn’t fire, I move on. There’s always another setup. Patience is a position, and the worst trade you can make is the one you force before the signal is confirmed.

PTGX · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: PTGX is tightening into a proper VCP right here, and the buy point at 159.05 is the exact spot where the last overhead supply gets absorbed. Volume is still light at 0.582, which is actually a good sign—I don't want to see a climactic blowoff before the breakout. The risk-to-reward is 3.13 to 1, which meets my minimum threshold, but that's not what gets me in. What gets me in is the price action: a series of lower contractions, each one tighter than the last, and now we're at the pivot where the stock either proves it or fails. If it breaks on volume, I'm in. Not a penny earlier, not a penny later.

Why wait: Because the status is IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don't buy anticipation; I buy reaction. If PTGX stalls at 159.05 or gaps through and then fades back below, that's a failed breakout, and my stop at 146.33 would be a 8% hit—that's acceptable, but I'd rather not take it if I can avoid it. Also, I don't know the RS number, and that's a red flag for me. I need to see relative strength above the market, not just a chart pattern. If RS is weak, this breakout is a trap. So I wait for the volume to confirm, I wait for the close above the pivot, and I wait for the market to give me the green light. Patience is a weapon; impatience is a loss.

Watch List

Avoid

What I’d Tell You

Risk first, always. Know your stop before you enter. Size from the stop, not from how much you want to make. If a stock violates after the breakout — closes below the 20-day, fails to follow through, shows heavy selling — do not wait for the hard stop. Act. The difference between a good trader and a great one is not the entries; it is the exits.

Stage, pattern and sentiment labels are generated by rule-based approximations (Weinstein stage analysis, Minervini trend template and heuristic pattern detection), not by precise technical analysis. Data as of August 18, 2026. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Always verify against primary sources before making any investment decision. SEPA-inspired system. VCP geometry is partially visual; the detector is a proxy. All thresholds are author calibration.