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

Mark Minervini

CRWD is exactly the kind of setup I want to see—tight VCP, breaking out on volume nearly 2.5 times average, and a risk/reward over 3 to 1. That’s a proper pivot, not a chase. I’d buy the breakout at 229.18 with a stop just under the pivot, maybe 224.50, and let the position size reflect that risk. The market’s confirmed, but that doesn’t mean I loosen my standards—35 actionable out of 354 tells me most names are still noise. Stay selective, take the high-probability triggers, and don’t force anything.

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 354. Actionable 35 · Watch 54 · Avoid 265.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🔴 ABNB -2.6% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 WT +5.9% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 WT +5.9% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 NTRA +1.5% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 BDSX -9.3% — Stop-loss hit at $28.48

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

CRWD · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: CRWD is tightening into a proper VCP right here, and the buy point at 229.18 is the exact pivot where supply dries up and demand takes over. Volume is already showing 2.5 times average, which tells me institutional money is positioning ahead of the breakout. The risk-to-reward at 3.13 is acceptable, but that's not the edge—the edge is the timing. I don't buy bases that are still forming; I buy the moment the stock proves it's ready to move. This is that moment. The stop at 210.85 gives me a defined loss of about 8%, which is within my tolerance for a high-conviction setup. If this breaks on volume, I want to be in before the crowd, not chasing it after it's already extended.

Why wait: Because if you hesitate, you're buying the same stock at 235, 240, or worse—after it's already left the launch pad. That's how you turn a 3-to-1 reward into a 1-to-1 or worse. I've seen countless traders watch a perfect pivot and then buy the first pullback, only to get shaken out because they paid too much and had no room for a proper stop. Waiting for "confirmation" beyond the pivot is just paying a premium for someone else's fear. The only reason to wait is if volume fails to confirm the breakout or if the stock reverses back below the pivot on heavy selling—then you're out, no questions asked. But if you're waiting for a better price, you're not trading the setup; you're hoping for a discount that rarely comes. Act at the pivot, or don't act at all.

SSRM · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: SSRM is tightening into the right side of its base, and that’s exactly where I want to see it—not before, not after. The buy point at 39.53 is the pivot, and if volume confirms on the breakout, that’s my trigger. The stop at 36.37 keeps my risk defined at roughly 8%, which is acceptable for a stock showing this kind of constructive price action. The reward-to-risk at 3.13 is solid, but that’s not what gets me in—it’s the timing. A stock that’s coiled this tightly, with volume at 0.504 (below average, which is fine pre-breakout), tells me the supply is drying up. When the bid hits that pivot with conviction, I’m acting, not hesitating. That’s the moment.

Why wait: If you’re not seeing the breakout yet, you’re not missing anything—you’re protecting capital. I don’t buy anticipation; I buy confirmation. A stock that’s “imminent” can still fail to launch, and if it does, the stop is your best friend. Waiting means you avoid the false starts, the shakeouts, and the emotional whipsaw that destroys amateurs. The moment SSRM trades through 39.53 on volume that’s at least 40-50% above its average, that’s when the risk is lowest relative to the reward. Until then, the pattern is just a picture. You don’t get paid for being early; you get paid for being right. So let the market prove it to you, and if it doesn’t, you’ve lost nothing but time. That’s the edge.

FIVN · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FIVN is setting up exactly the way I like to see it. The base has tightened up, and you’re getting that contraction in price range that tells me the sellers are exhausted. A buy at 34.74 puts you right at the pivot—not chasing, not guessing. The stop at 31.96 is tight enough to keep the risk defined, and the target at 43.43 gives you a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio. That’s the kind of asymmetry I’ll take every day. Volume is still light at 0.566, but that’s fine—I don’t need volume to confirm the setup before the breakout; I need it to confirm the breakout itself. If this thing triggers on higher volume, you’re in the right place at the right time.

Why wait: Because the status is IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don’t buy anticipation; I buy the pivot. If FIVN doesn’t break out on volume, you’re just holding a position that hasn’t proven itself. The stop is there to protect you, but a stop loss doesn’t help if you’re early and the stock drifts sideways for weeks—that’s opportunity cost and mental fatigue. Also, relative strength is still a question mark. I don’t want to be in a stock that’s lagging the market when I can wait for a leader. If the breakout comes, I’ll be there. If it doesn’t, I’ll move on. Patience is a weapon, not a weakness.

FROG · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FROG is tightening into a proper VCP right here, and the buy point at 104.93 is the exact spot where the last overhead supply should clear. Volume is already 1.394 times average, which tells me institutional money is positioning ahead of the breakout—not chasing it. The risk-to-reward at 3.13 is acceptable, but that's not why I'm pulling the trigger. I'm pulling the trigger because the pattern is coiled, the pivot is defined, and the market is telling me it's ready to move. If it breaks on volume, I want to be in at the pivot, not a dollar higher where the risk gets worse.

Why wait: If you're not in yet, you wait for the close above 104.93 on volume that expands further—don't buy the anticipation. A break below 96.54 invalidates the entire setup, and I don't care how good the story is; the chart is the only truth. If it gaps through the pivot and runs to 106 or 107, you let it go. There will be another base, another pivot, another trade. My job is to protect capital first, then let winners run. The moment you force a trade because you're afraid to miss it, you've already lost the edge.

ERO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ERO is tightening into the final shakeout of a proper VCP, and the buy point at 40.93 is the exact pivot where supply dries up and demand takes over. The stop at 37.66 is tight enough to keep my risk defined at roughly 8%, which is acceptable for a stock that’s showing this kind of constructive price action. With a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, I’m not gambling on hope—I’m betting on a high-probability breakout where the market has already done the heavy lifting of shaking out weak hands. Volume is at 0.819, which tells me we’re not seeing panic selling or climax action; it’s orderly, and that’s exactly what I want to see before a move. If this breaks, I want to be in at the trigger, not chasing after it’s already up 5% from the pivot.

Why wait: Because the status is IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don’t buy anticipation—I buy reaction. If ERO stalls at that pivot or fails to hold above 40.93 on above-average volume, I’m not going to pretend the setup is still valid. Waiting means I let the market prove it wants to go higher, and if it does, I’ll take my entry with a stop that’s already set. If it doesn’t, I’ve saved myself a losing trade and the capital to deploy elsewhere. Patience here isn’t hesitation—it’s discipline. The moment I see that breakout print with volume expansion, I’m in. Until then, I’m watching, not acting. The risk is always first; the reward is just the payoff for getting the timing right.

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 29, 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.