AI Trader | Minervini: 35 SEPA setups, ERO best at 3.13:1

Mark Minervini

Thirty-five actionable names out of 418 tells me the tape is selective, not broad. ERO’s breakout at 40.64 with 1.63x volume and a 3.13:1 reward-to-risk is exactly the kind of tight VCP pivot I want to see—no chasing, just a clean trigger. But 321 names to avoid? That’s your edge. Don’t get seduced by the uptrend; stay disciplined, size for the risk, and let the slugging percentage come from the few that work.

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 418. Actionable 35 · Watch 62 · Avoid 321.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🔴 RNG -4.3% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 AMLX -7.6% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 RNG -2.1% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 AMLX -5.9% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 RNG -2.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

ERO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ERO is setting up exactly the way I like to see it. The base is tight, the volume is confirming, and price is right at the pivot—40.64 is the line in the sand. I don’t need to guess; the market is telling me it’s ready to move. My stop at 37.39 is tight enough to keep the damage minimal if I’m wrong, and the target at 50.8 gives me over three times the risk. That’s the kind of asymmetry I’ll take every day. The volume at 1.634 tells me there’s institutional participation, not just retail noise. When the tape confirms, I act—not a minute early, not a minute late.

Why wait: If you hesitate here, you’re not being cautious—you’re being lazy. Waiting for a pullback means you’re hoping for a better price that may never come, and in a strong breakout, that’s how you miss the move entirely. My edge isn’t in predicting the future; it’s in managing the risk when the setup is right. The stop is already defined, the reward is clear, and the pattern is tight. If this fails, I lose a small, controlled amount. If it works, I bank a 3:1 winner. That’s the math. That’s the game. Don’t overthink it—pull the trigger when the pivot breaks, or step aside and watch someone else take the trade.

SSRM · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ? Because the market doesn’t reward patience at the wrong time—it rewards action at the pivot. If SSRM breaks 39.52 with conviction, the move could be fast and violent, and waiting for a pullback after that kind of breakout often means chasing extended price. The base has had time to form, the stock is coiling, and the risk is defined. You don’t need to predict the future; you need to react to the tape. If the volume confirms, I’m in. If it fails, I’m out at 36.36, and the loss is small relative to the potential gain. That’s how you stay alive to fight another day.

Why wait: ? Because an imminent setup is not a guaranteed setup. If the stock breaks out on weak volume, or if it stalls right at the pivot and rolls over, you’ll get a better entry later—or you’ll avoid a losing trade entirely. The market pays you for being right, not for being early. I’ve seen too many traders buy the pivot a day early, get shaken out, and then watch the real move happen without them. If SSRM doesn’t trigger my buy stop, I don’t own it. No FOMO. No exceptions. The stop is non-negotiable, and the volume is the final filter. If it’s not there, the setup is incomplete, and the best trade is the one you don’t take.

FCX · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FCX is tightening into the final shakeout of a VCP, and the buy point at 80.05 is the exact pivot where supply dries up and demand takes over. Volume is contracting into the right side of the base, which is exactly what I want to see—no panic selling, just a coiled spring. The 1.066 relative volume tells me institutions are starting to lean in, not just retail noise. My stop at 73.65 is tight enough to cap the damage at roughly 8% if I’m wrong, and the target at 100.06 gives me a 3.13 reward-to-risk. That’s a slugging percentage play, not a batting average play. I don’t need to be right often; I need to be right big when I am. The setup is imminent, and hesitation here is the same as a missed pitch—you don’t get the at-bat back.

Why wait: Because the pivot hasn’t triggered yet. I don’t buy the pattern; I buy the breakout. If FCX stalls below 80.05 or gaps through it on weak volume, that’s a failed move, and my edge disappears. Waiting costs me nothing but a few cents of upside; acting early costs me a stop-out and a broken trade. The market doesn’t care about my target—it cares about price and volume at the exact moment of decision. If the stock can’t clear that pivot with conviction, I’ll let it go and find another setup. There’s always another train. My job is to be on the platform when it arrives, not to jump in front of it. So I wait for the trigger, and when it fires, I’m in with size and a plan. Until then, patience is my edge.

HALO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: HALO is setting up exactly the way I like to see it—a tight, constructive base with the pivot at 109.65. The volume contraction is there at 0.765, which tells me sellers are exhausted and the stock is coiling. When the breakout comes, I want to see that volume expand at least 40-50% above average on the move through that pivot. The risk-to-reward is 3.13 to 1, which is acceptable, but that's not the reason to act. The reason to act is that the pattern is imminent, and if you wait for confirmation after the pivot, you're giving up the edge. I don't buy breakouts that are already extended; I buy the exact moment the stock proves it can clear that level with institutional demand. If it triggers, I'm in. No hesitation.

Why wait: Because "imminent" is not "executed." I've seen too many traders get chopped up by buying a pivot that never triggers, or worse, buying a fakeout that breaks down the next day. Your stop at 100.88 is 8% below the entry—that's a real loss if you're wrong, and you need to respect that. If the stock doesn't clear 109.65 on above-average volume, you have no edge. The RS is unknown, which is a red flag; I don't buy relative weakness. If HALO can't outperform the market during its base, why would it lead on the breakout? Wait for the trigger. Wait for volume. Wait for RS to confirm. If it doesn't come, there's always another stock. The market pays you for patience, not for anticipation.

SCCO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: SCCO is tightening up right in the zone where I want to see it. The base is constructive, and the buy point at 220.88 is a clear pivot—not a guess, not a hope. Volume is at 0.706, which tells me the stock hasn’t blown its load yet; it’s coiling. When that volume expands on the breakout, you’ll have your confirmation. The risk-reward at 3.13 is solid, but that’s not the edge. The edge is the timing. You don’t buy before the pivot because you’re guessing. You buy at the pivot because that’s where the institutional bid shows up. If it breaks with volume, you’re in. If it doesn’t, you’re out. Simple.

Why wait: Because the status is IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don’t care how good the setup looks—if you buy early, you’re paying tuition for a lesson you already know. A stop at 203.21 is 8% below the entry, which is wider than I like, but it’s manageable if you size correctly. The real risk is buying before the volume confirms. If SCCO stalls at that level or fades on the breakout attempt, you’ll be sitting in a losing position with no edge. Patience is a weapon. Let the market show you the move. If it doesn’t trigger, there’s always another setup. The market pays you for discipline, not for being early.

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 26, 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.