Daily - Go to TTD's Tape of  Stock Charts - Wednesday, March 14

Daily - Bullish Investors  - Go To TTD Pre-Market Opening Breakout Watch  List and Performance -  Wednesday, March 14

Ticker Tape Digest

Wednesday - March 14, 2012

By Leo Fasciocco -- TTD

Ticker Tape Digest presents its daily stock market report containing stocks to go long as breakout trades, quick trades, or bargain trades. We also feature stocks under Significant Accumulation that are poised to breakout.

 The TTD report also contains stocks to short as  breakdown plays and as bargain (swing trade) shorts.

  Investors should  tend to try to go with a strategy that fits with the stock market's trend, unless there is a special situation play.

  TTD's Breakout Stocks - Long are most suitable for aggressive investors seeking ideal entry points into leading stocks, especially during bull markets. They can do extremely well in bull markets with gains of as much as several hundred percent.

 These stocks can also do extremely well during strong market rallies, or if they are in a industry group that is performing very well. They tend to have strong earnings outlooks and are near new-52 week, or all-time highs.

  TTD Quick Trade Stocks - Long These are leading issues that have pulled back in recent days, but could move higher soon. They are most suitable for Aggressive Investors willing to trade short term. These stocks will do extremely  well during market advances. They have about 74% win rate. During market rally sequences the win rate is even higher. The return is small 3% to 8% in just a few days.

 TTD's Bargain Buy Trades - Long - Long Term.  These are for conservative bullish Investors These long-term buys are ideally suited for entry into stocks on pull backs within overall up trend. These stocks can give a good return long-term especially during a bull market.

   TTD also presents Stocks To Sell or Sell Short. These issues are suitable for aggressive investors willing to take short positions both as trades or for longer-term plays. These stocks will do very well during bear markets or market pull backs.

  TTD's Bearish breakdown stocks to sell short. These issues have potential to fall sharply. They often show a technical breakdown and also some fundamental business problem such as weak earnings.  

 TTD's multi-media updates include a slide-show that presents charts and analysis at midsession. Some times TTD presents feature analysis on stocks and the market. TTD uses Windows Media Files. (WMV).

 TTD also presents a "Breakout Watch List" that is up dated daily. This list consists of key stocks in position to breakout. A close watch of this list can put you in the stock just as it breaks out. A good idea is to study the list and be ready to move into a stock quickly as it hits its breakpoint.

TTD often suggests using stop buy orders to enter. It is very important to buy a breakout stock as close as possible to the breakpoint. The idea is to get "elbow room" if the stock should follow through to the upside. This is very important in being successful in making big money with breakout stocks.

It is also essential to have a stop loss strategy for all stocks in which positions are taken. Not every stock will work as expected. It is important for investors to "police" their portfolios and avoid getting trapped in any bad positions.

 Quality rating of breakout  Two key factors: 1 - Stock near all-time in price or near a 52-week high. 2 - earnings growth current year is strong. The ideal play is a stock with an Above Average Quality Rating. The stock is near a new high and will have strong earnings. TTD's other ratings are Average and Below Average.

TTD also has  special feature sections on  Educational Tips on Investing.

To email Mr. Leo Fasciocco  leo@tickertapedigest.com.For service, email Beverly Owen owen@tickertapedigest.com. TTD’s Tel: 1-480-926-1680.

  Breakout Stocks

Total Buy Breakouts so far today - 12

Overall Quality of Breakouts - Average

Stocks Screened - 8,300

Bull side -  Good number of breakouts today. Stock market ekes out a small gain, but broad market shows more losers than gainers by a wide margin.  Bulls be selective.

 (Put mouse on Dow chart to see Nasdaq chart)

Long Term Environment for bulls:  Neutral

Market (Daily) - NYSE Bullish, Nasdaq Bullish

Market (Weekly) - NYSE Bullish, Nasdaq Bullish

Market  (Monthly) - NYSE Bullish, Nasdaq Bullish 

Ticker Tape Digest's

Timely Breakout Stocks From Tape Action - March 14

(See Top Performing Breakout Stocks for 2011- 2012)

(The “breakout List” gives all stocks breaking out of a base of five weeks or more. These stocks have a good chance to trend higher. However, a stop should be used to avoid those that do not work. They are ranked according to percentage change and classified as leaders or other. (Trading strategy: One should buy breakout stocks at breakpoint by using market order or stop buy)All Timely Breakout Stocks From Tape Action Today )  

Today's Featured TTD Breakout Stock

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) - 65.47, up 2.92 - Breakpoint 63.26

Hits New All-time High, Net to Rise 28% in fiscal 2012 (Feb.), TTD Targets 78

  BBBY, based in Union, N.J., operates retail stores selling furnishing for homes. Annual revenues: $9.3 billion. BBBY's stock breaks out today from a six-month flat base. The move carries the stock to a new all-time high, which is bullish. So far today, BBBY is trading a heavy 6.1 million shares, double its normal daily volume of 3 million shares.

  TTD highlighted BBBY as a breakout at our midsession video show on the web Wednesday.

  BBBY's 10-minute chart shows the stock spiking higher in the morning with strong volume.

  The stock got a boost when an analyst at Bernstein raised his estimate of same store sales for the company.

  The stock continued to work higher through the rest of the day and finished easily over is breakpoint line.

  BBBY's tape action shows the recent big block trades.

   One can see the price for the recent block trades climbing from $62.55 to $65.47.

  A key bullish trade came in the morning when a block of 46,745 shares (duplicated) crossed the tape at $62.93. That was up from the prior block trade at $62.55.

  Also, near the close a big block of 67,494 shares (duplicated) crossed the tape at $65.47. That was up from the prior block at $64.90.

 BBBY runs a chain of retail stores, operating under the names Bed Bath & Beyond , Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon and Harmon Face Valuesand buybuy BABY.

  In addition, BBBY is a partner in a joint venture, which operates two stores in the Mexico City market under the name Home & More.

 BBBY sells home furnishings such as giftware, health and beauty care items, and infant and toddler merchandise. It has 1,139 stores in 50 states,

  BBBY's 12-month performance chart shows the stock appreciating 44% versus a 9% gain for the S&P 500 index.

  BBBY's Long-term chart shows the stock trading around 20 back in 2000. It climbed to a peak of 46 in 2005. It then went into a prolonged bear market phase which took the stock down to 16 by 2008. However, it has since made the big turn and is in a strong up trend and making new highs. The stock has made an excellent comeback. The push to a new high on Wednesday could draw in more buying on Thursday.   

  BBBY's daily chart shows the basing work between roughly 57 and 63. It is a nice tight base. Today's breakout comes with a widening of the spread (daily range from high to low) and an expansion in volume - all bullish omens.

  The stocks' TTD momentum indicator (top of chart) is strongly bullish.

  The accumulation - distribution line (bottom of chart) broke out to a new high before the price of the stock. That was a good lead signal that a breakout could be coming.

  For the fiscal year ending February 28, 2012, analysts expect BBBY to post a 28% gain in net to $3.93 a share from $3.07 a year ago.

  The stock sells with a current p/e ratio of  16. TTD sees that as reasonable.

  Going out to fiscal 2013 ending in February, profits are projected to climb 14% to $4.46 a share from the anticipated $3.93 for fiscal 2012.

  Net for the upcoming fiscal fourth quarter - to be reported soon - should show a 19% gain to $1.33 a share from $1.12 a year ago. The highest estimate on the Street is at $1.57 a share. TTD sees excellent chances for an earnings upside surprise. The brokerage firm noted better sales. Also, BBBY topped the quarterly consensus estimate the past four quarters by 7 to 15 cents a share.

  Net for the fiscal first quarter of 2013 should climb 15% to 83 cents a share from 72 cents a year ago.

  Strategy Opinion: TTD is targeting BBBY for a move to 78 within the next few months or sooner. A protective stop can be placed near 61.

  TTD rates BBBY a slightly above average intermediate-term play with low downside risk.

 Sponsorship: Excellent. A key fund buyer recently was 4-star rated Fidelity Contrafund which purchased 366,400 shares. It is the second largest fund holder with a 3.5% stake. Also, 5-star rated Powershares QQQQ was a recent buyer of  295,913. BBBY has 241.3 million shares outstanding. Institutions hold 80% of the stock.

  Insider Activity: Bearish. Insiders were buyers using stock options at $39. They sold around 57. Currently, 21 analysts follow the stock, 15 have a buy, up from 12 three months ago.

 Stock Performance Chart with Quarterly Earnings Markers

  Insider Activity - Buying in Green - Selling in Red

Charts of Selected Breakout Stocks

Ticker Tape Digest’s

Stocks To “Sell or Short”

  Ticker Tape Digest’s Daily List of “Stocks To Sell or Sell Short” ranks stocks well timed to be sold immediately based on daily trading. The list can be used as an alert to reduce current long-term positions.

Shorts from tape action so far today - 3

Stocks Screened - 8,300

Long-Term Environment for bears: Unfavorable.

Bear Side -  Only three shorts today as stock market finishes mixed. Gold stocks moving lower and kicking in some short trading plays.  Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) was TTD short play from Tuesday at 53.13. The stock is trading at 53.44 so far today.

List of Stocks To Sell or Short

TTD’s Feature Bear Play

Sterling Construction Co. (STRL) - 8.84, down 1.44

Posts Loss, Sees Weak 2012, TTD Sees Drop to 6.30

  STRL, based in Houston, is a heavy civil construction firm. Annual revenues: $525 million. STRL's stock falls sharply today after reporting a loss for the fourth quarter. The stock is thinly traded. However, the momentum to the downside and fundamental breakdown are significant. So far today, STRL is trading 210,645 shares, double its normal daily volume of 104,000 shares.

  STRL was highlighted by TTD as a short at our midsession video show on the Web Wednesday.

  The company reported a loss for the fourth quarter of $2.72 a share compared with a profit of 54 cents a share. The company said it was impacted by reduced work in Texas.

  STRL said because of slower spending for road construction profits for 2012 should decline.

  The stock took the bearish news in a bearish way. STRL gapped lower in the morning and hit an intraday low around midday at 8.78. It then trended sideways in the afternoon.

  STRL's tape action shows the recent big block trades. A key bearish trade came two days ago when a block of 64,159 shares crossed the tape at $9.65. That was within a sequence started by a decline in block trade prices from $9.76.

  Also, today, a key bearish trade came around noon when a block of 10,000 shares crossed the tape at $9. That was down from the prior block at $9.32.

   STRL's daily chart shows the stock working lower from 16 down to 10 over the recent months. The breakdown today is technicall very bearish undercutting key technical support at $9.62.

   Strategy Opinion:  TTD is targeting STRL for a decline to $6.30 within the next few months, or sooner. A protective stop buy can be placed near $9.60.

TTD takes no responsibility for trading by those using this information. The stocks presented in our report are those we deem the best looking "Day Trades" for the long side. We take no responsibility for the accuracy of this data, although every effort is made to present the information correctly. Copyright Ticker Tape Digest.

TTD columnist Leo Fasciocco has covered the stock market for over 20 years. His articles appear in many publications. He is also a speaker at the Intershow conferences. He has been on television and radio. He is author of many educational articles about stock investing and the book “Guide To High-Performance Investing.”

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(The information contained has been prepared from data deemed reliable but there is no guarantee of complete accuracy. Ticker Tape Digest Inc. is not affiliated with any broker, dealer or investment advisor. Nothing in this publication constitutes an offer, recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Further research is advised. This report is copyrighted and no redistribution is permitted with out permission.)