AI Trader | Minervini: 48 SEPA setups, CF best at 3.13:1

Mark Minervini

The tape is constructive, but don’t get seduced by the 48 actionable names. That CF Base is clean, but volume at 0.353 is weak—I want to see institutional participation at the pivot, not a whisper. If it can’t push through 140.76 with conviction, the setup is moot. Risk is defined, reward is there, but timing is everything. Stay disciplined; 251 names are telling you where the money isn’t.

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 360. Actionable 48 · Watch 61 · Avoid 251.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🟢 WEAT +0.3% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 MPC +1.8% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 ZETA +1.7% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FIVN -2.0% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 FIVN -2.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

SEPA Setups — At or Near the Pivot

CF · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: CF is tightening into a proper VCP right here, and the buy point at 140.76 is the exact pivot where supply dries up and demand takes over. The risk is defined at 129.5, which is a clear level of structural invalidation—if that breaks, I’m wrong and I’m out. With a 3.13 reward-to-risk ratio, this setup gives me the kind of asymmetric opportunity I only take when the timing is right. The stock is coiling, volume is contracting at 0.353, which tells me sellers are exhausted. This is the moment to act, not to hesitate. If you wait for the breakout to feel obvious, you’ll be buying extended and giving back half your edge.

Why wait: Because an imminent setup is not a triggered setup. I don’t buy the anticipation; I buy the confirmation. If CF fails to break through 140.76 on above-average volume, then this is just another failed base, and the stop at 129.5 will likely get tagged. Patience is a weapon here—waiting for the exact pivot protects you from the false starts that kill most traders. The moment it trades through 140.76 with conviction, I’m in. Until then, I’m watching, not acting. The market will tell me when it’s ready, and I’ll be there to pull the trigger at that precise second, not a penny earlier.

SM · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: SM is sitting right at that pivot, and the setup is tightening the way I like to see before a move. The buy point at 38.63 is not a guess—it’s the level where supply has been absorbed and the stock is ready to push through resistance. With a stop at 35.54, you’re risking only about 8% from entry, and the target at 48.29 gives you over 3 times that risk. That’s the kind of asymmetry I demand. The volume is still low at 0.132, which tells me we haven’t seen the institutional thrust yet—but that’s fine. I don’t need volume before the breakout; I need it on the breakout. When that volume hits, you have to be in, not watching from the sidelines. This is a VCP in its final stage, and the clock is ticking.

Why wait: Because “imminent” is not “now.” If you buy before the pivot, you’re guessing, and guessing gets you stopped out more often than not. The stock hasn’t confirmed the breakout yet—no volume surge, no close above 38.63 on strong tape. Right now, you’re looking at a setup that could fail if the market wobbles or if SM can’t attract buyers at that level. I’d rather miss the first 2% of a move than take a false signal and eat a full 8% loss. Patience is a weapon. Wait for the stock to actually trigger, wait for volume to expand at least 40-50% above average, and then pull the trigger. If it doesn’t break, you lose nothing. If it does, you’re buying with the wind at your back, not hoping for it. The market will pay you to be disciplined, not early.

APA · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: APA is tightening into a proper VCP, and the buy point at 45.15 is the exact pivot where supply has dried up. The 0.212 volatility tells me this stock is coiling—not dead, just compressed. When you see that kind of tightness after a base, you don’t wait for the breakout to feel obvious; you act when price confirms at the pivot with volume. My stop at 41.54 is just below the recent swing low, giving me a defined risk of roughly 8%—that’s acceptable for a 3.13 reward-to-risk. The target at 56.44 is a measured move off the base, and if the relative strength line is confirming (you need to check that RS number), this is a high-probability trade where the market is telling you buyers are in control. I’m not predicting; I’m reacting to the setup that’s already formed. The time to pull the trigger is when the stock trades through 45.15 on volume—not before, not after.

Why wait: If you hesitate here, you’re gambling that the pivot will come back to you, and it rarely does. Waiting for a pullback after a proper breakout often means you’re buying weakness in a stock that already showed its hand—that’s how you end up with a lower batting average and worse risk. The moment APA trades at 45.15 with volume, the base is complete, and any delay means you’re chasing extended price or accepting a wider stop. I’ve seen too many traders watch a stock break out, wait for a “better entry,” and then watch it run 20% without them. The risk is already defined at 41.54; if you wait, you’re either paying more or taking on more risk for the same target. The only reason to wait is if the RS line is weak or volume fails to confirm on the breakout—then you step aside. But if the setup is intact, waiting is just fear dressed up as patience, and fear costs you money in this game.

FTI · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: FTI is setting up exactly the way I like to see it before I commit a single dollar. The base has tightened, and the buy point at 80.65 is a clear pivot—not a guess, not a hope. You’re telling me the breakout is imminent, and with volume at 0.079, that tells me the stock hasn’t blown its load early. That’s the kind of quiet before the storm that separates a real VCP from a false flag. My stop at 74.2 is tight enough to keep the damage small if I’m wrong, and the target at 100.81 gives me over 3 to 1 reward-to-risk. That’s the math I need. I don’t need to be right often; I need to be right when it counts. This is a high-probability entry with defined risk, and that’s the only kind of trade I take.

Why wait: Because “imminent” isn’t “executed.” I don’t buy anticipation; I buy confirmation. If FTI doesn’t trigger at 80.65 on expanding volume, then it’s not a breakout—it’s a tease, and teases cost money. Waiting means I let the market prove it wants to move, not just that it’s close to moving. If it gaps through or stalls at the pivot, my stop would be too wide or my entry too late. Patience here isn’t hesitation; it’s discipline. I’d rather miss the first 2% of a move than catch a falling knife. The moment I see that volume surge and price take out 80.65 with authority, I’m in. Until then, I’m watching, not acting. That’s the difference between a trader and a gambler.

EQNR · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: EQNR is setting up exactly the way I like to see it. The base is tight, the contraction is there, and the buy point at 44.43 is a clear pivot—not a guess. Volume is still low at 0.324, which tells me the stock hasn’t attracted the crowd yet, but that’s fine. I don’t need volume to confirm the setup; I need it to confirm the breakout. When price hits that pivot with a surge in volume, that’s my trigger. The risk is defined at 40.88, and the reward is 55.54. That’s a 3.13 to 1 ratio, which is above my minimum threshold. If this breaks, I want to be there at the moment of truth, not chasing it two days later. The pattern is mature, the stop is tight enough to keep me in the game, and the target gives me room to let the winner run. This is a timing play, and the timing is now—if the pivot triggers.

Why wait: Because the status is IMMINENT, not CONFIRMED. I don’t buy anticipation; I buy reaction. If EQNR stalls at that pivot or fails to show volume on the breakout, you’re just hoping. Hope is not a strategy. The relative strength is a question mark, and that’s a red flag for me. I need to see RS above 80, ideally 90, to know this stock is leading, not lagging. Without that, you’re buying a base that might be a falling knife in disguise. Waiting costs you nothing. If it breaks and I miss the first 1-2%, so be it—my batting average doesn’t matter if my slugging percentage is high. I’d rather miss a trade than take a bad one. Let the market prove it to me. If volume confirms and RS improves, I’m in. If not, I move on. There’s always another setup. Patience is a position.

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 September 02, 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.