AI Trader | O’Neil: 9 pass the gate, NSIT best at 3.13:1

William@CANSLIM Research

NSIT is the only name worth your full attention today, and even that comes with a caveat. The breakout is imminent at 159.51, but volume is running at 0.684 times average—that is not the institutional punch I demand. If it can’t clear on a 40% or better volume surge, you stand aside. SENEA, MPC, and ZETA are on the list, but none of them are screaming with the kind of accumulation that separates winners from traps. With 89 names to avoid, the message is clear: this market rewards patience, not participation. Wait for the heavy-volume trigger, or you’re just guessing.

Today’s dual scan surfaced 110 candidates (actionable 9, watch 12, avoid 89). Market regime: Confirmed Uptrend. Published 2026-09-01 08:40.

The Market Comes First

The tape reads Confirmed Uptrend. I never fight the general market — three out of four stocks follow it. I only put money to work when the market is in a confirmed uptrend; when distribution stacks up or a correction sets in, I raise cash and wait. No individual chart is good enough to override that.

How I Screen — My Rules, Not Opinions

Today’s List at a Glance

Actionable 9 · Watch 12 · Avoid 89. Names, buy points, stops and targets are below for members.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🔴 FIVN -0.5% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 DELL +0.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 NTRA -5.6% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FROG -8.0% — Stop-loss hit at $96.53

🔴 CDNA -11.0% — Stop-loss hit at $47.87

Open Positions

Ready — At the Buy Point

PANW · Double Bottom · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is within 3.6% of a proper buy point at 368.9, and the RS line is at a new high—exactly the kind of institutional footprint I want to see before a breakout. Volume is running 35% above its 50-day average, confirming accumulation, and the 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio justifies the wait for the trigger.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 2.4 weeks old and extremely deep at 65%, which is below my standard for a quality double bottom—this raises the risk of a false breakout. If the stock fails to take out 368.9 on heavy volume, or closes below the 339.39 stop, the setup is invalidated and I move on.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

Imminent — Close to Triggering

NSIT · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is sitting just 1.56% under a proper buy point at 159.51, with the RS line at a new high—exactly the kind of institutional footprint I want before a breakout. The up/down volume ratio of 2.434 tells me accumulation is present, and the reward/risk at 3.13 justifies waiting for the trigger. A close above 159.51 on heavy volume would confirm the move; today’s light volume (0.684x average) is not the signal.

Why wait / risk: This base is only 2.2 weeks old with a 60% depth—that’s a deep, sloppy structure, not a tight, healthy pattern. The 5.63% extension above the 50-day MA is already stretched, so if it fails to break out on volume within the next week, I’d pass. Any close back below 146.75 (-8% from the buy point) invalidates the setup entirely; I don’t argue with the market.

Skipped: already holding

SENEA · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is sitting just 0.8% below a proper buy point at 199.88, with the RS line at a new high and up/down volume ratio of 2.02—this is the institutional footprint I want to see. The base is short at 1.6 weeks but deep, and the 3.13 reward/risk justifies waiting for the exact trigger. Volume today is 1.068x the 50-day average, so the tape is starting to firm up as it approaches the pivot.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 1.6 weeks old with a 39.25% depth—that’s shallow and sloppy, not the tight, constructive action I prefer. If it fails to break out on volume above 199.88 and instead rolls over, the 8% stop at 183.89 is the line in the sand; any close below that kills the setup.

✅ Portfolio: I am buying 53 shares at the close. 53 shares @ $199.88 (risk $847)

MPC · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: MPC is sitting just 0.89% under a proper buy point at 376.66, with the RS line at a new high and volume today running 1.5x its 50-day average. The up/down volume ratio of 2.43 confirms institutional accumulation, and the stock is at its 52-week high—exactly where I want to see a leader. With a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, this is a setup worth positioning for.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 1.4 weeks old with a 49.79% depth, which is far too shallow and volatile for a high-quality pattern—this is a low-confidence breakout. A close below the 346.53 stop (-8%) invalidates the setup, and any failure to trigger within the estimated week means the pattern is breaking down. I do not chase; I wait for the exact buy point on heavy volume.

✅ Portfolio: I am buying 28 shares at the close. 28 shares @ $376.66 (risk $844)

ZETA · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ZETA is sitting just 0.58% under a proper buy point at 31.15, with the RS line at a new high and volume today running 1.44x its 50-day average. The up/down volume ratio of 1.714 tells me institutions are accumulating, not distributing. A 2.6-week base with a 53.73% depth is shallow enough to be a valid pivot, and the 3.13 reward/risk ratio justifies waiting for the exact trigger.

Why wait / risk: I do not buy before the breakout—a close below 31.15 with weak volume means no confirmation, and the 5.3% ATR extension above the 50MA suggests the stock is already stretched. If it fails to trigger within a week or drops under 28.66, the setup is dead; cut it and move on.

Skipped: max 6 positions reached

Watch List — What’s Missing

Avoid — Why We’re Passing

What I’d Tell You

One, only buy when the market is with you. Two, buy in the zone — from the buy point to five percent past it, never more; the stock that gets away costs you nothing, the one you chase costs you money. Three, the seven-to-eight percent stop is not negotiable. Do those three things and the reward-to-risk takes care of itself.

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 September 01, 2026. For informational and educational purposes only — not investment advice. Always verify against primary sources before making any investment decision. Ratings use open-data proxies for IBD-proprietary figures and may run looser than the originals.