AI Trader | O’Neil: 8 pass the gate, ZETA best at 3.13:1

William@CANSLIM Research

ZETA is the only name worth serious attention today — a base breakout at 32.15 with volume running 1.57 times average and a 3.13 reward-to-risk. That’s the institutional footprint I want to see. FIVN, FRO, and MPC are actionable, but none of them scream leadership yet. With 77 of 94 candidates in the avoid pile, the market is telling you to be selective, not aggressive. Don’t force a trade just because the tape is in a confirmed uptrend — wait for the proper breakout, then cut any loss at 7-8%.

Today’s dual scan surfaced 94 candidates (actionable 8, watch 9, avoid 77). Market regime: Confirmed Uptrend. Published 2026-09-02 08:27.

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 8 · Watch 9 · Avoid 77. Names, buy points, stops and targets are below for members.

Portfolio Snapshot

Recent Trades:

🟢 MPC +1.7% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 SENEA +2.1% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 NGL -3.0% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🟢 SENEA +1.8% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

🔴 NGL -2.2% — Trimmed for portfolio risk limit

Open Positions

Imminent — Close to Triggering

ZETA · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: ZETA is pressing into a proper buy point at 32.15 with the relative strength line at a new high—exactly the kind of institutional footprint I want to see. Volume is running 1.57x its 50-day average with up/down volume at 1.90, confirming demand is present. The stock is at its 52-week high, not lagging in some old base, and the 3.13 reward/risk justifies waiting for the trigger.

Why wait / risk: This base is only 2.8 weeks long and 55% deep—that's shallow and volatile, not the tight, constructive pattern I prefer. A close below 29.58 (-8%) invalidates the setup immediately, and with the breakout still 1.84% away, I don't pay up early. If it fails to clear 32.15 on heavy volume, the pattern is broken and I move on.

Skipped: already holding

FIVN · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is within 2.44% of a proper buy point at 34.88, with the RS line at a new high score of 0.943—exactly the kind of relative strength I want to see before a breakout. The base is short at 3.2 weeks, but the tightness to the 52-week high (1.56%) and low ATR extension (3.91%) suggest the stock is coiling for a move, not extended. The reward/risk of 3.13 justifies waiting for the trigger, and the up/down volume ratio of 1.362 shows institutional accumulation beneath the surface.

Why wait / risk: Volume today is only 0.6 times the 50-day average—that is not the heavy trade I demand on a breakout. A move to 34.88 on weak volume would be a false signal, and the base depth of 61.79% is deep, which raises the risk of a failed pattern. If the stock stalls below the buy point or volume stays light, I stand aside; the stop at 32.09 is my line in the sand, and I will not touch it until the trigger fires on proper trade.

Skipped: already holding

FRO · Base breakout · R/R 3.13:1

Why now: The stock is within 2.1% of a proper buy point at 45.27, with the RS line at a new high (0.969) and price just 0.29% off its 52-week high—exactly the kind of tight, constructive action I want to see before a breakout. The reward/risk at 3.13 is worth the wait, and the base, though short at 1.8 weeks, shows the kind of volatility contraction that can precede a move. I do not predict; I wait for the trigger.

Why wait / risk: Volume today is only 0.893 times the 50-day average, and up/down volume at 1.076 shows no institutional accumulation yet—a breakout on weak volume would be a red flag. If price fails to clear 45.27 on heavy trade, or drops below the 41.65 stop (-8%), the setup is invalidated. Do not buy early; let the market prove it.

Skipped: already holding

MPC · Base breakout · R/R 3.12:1

Why now: The stock is sitting 0.03% below a proper buy point at 383.1, with the RS line at a new high—exactly the kind of tight, constructive action I want to see before a breakout. The up/down volume ratio of 2.445 shows institutions are accumulating, not distributing, and the 3.12 reward/risk justifies waiting for the trigger rather than forcing a trade early.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 1.6 weeks old with a 50.63% depth—that’s a deep, sloppy pattern, and the base quality score of 0.301 is weak. Volume today is below its 50-day average at 0.992, so there’s no confirmation yet; if the stock fails to break on heavy volume or drops back under the buy point, I’ll stand aside and cut any loss at 8% if I’m already in.

Skipped: already holding

SENEA · Cup with Handle · R/R 3.12:1

Why now: The stock is sitting 0.26% below a proper buy point at 204.58, with the RS line at a new high and up/down volume ratio of 1.995—institutions are accumulating. The 40.65% base depth shows a volatile but constructive correction, and the 3.12 reward/risk justifies waiting for the exact trigger. I want to see this close above 204.58 on volume at least 40% above its 50-day average; that is the only signal that matters.

Why wait / risk: The base is only 1.8 weeks long, which is shallow for a cup—this could be a late-stage or sloppy formation. If it fails to break out within a week or stalls below the buy point on declining volume, the setup is invalid; I never buy a stock that can't clear its pivot. A close below 188.21 is an automatic exit, no exceptions.

✅ Portfolio: I am buying 30 shares at the close. 30 shares @ $204.58 (risk $491)

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 02, 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.