Daily - Go to TTD's Tape of  Stock Charts - Monday, April 8, 2013

Daily - Bullish Investors  - Go To TTD Pre-Market Opening Breakout Watch  List and Performance - Monday, April 8, 2013

Ticker Tape Digest

Monday - April 8, 2013

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 - 14

Overall Quality of Breakouts - Average

Stocks Screened - 8,300

Bull side - Breakout expands today as stock market rebounds.  Market still consolidating within an overall up trend. Bulls be selective. Real Estate Trust stock still breaking out.

 (Put mouse on Dow chart to see Nasdaq chart)

Long Term Environment for bulls:  Favorable

Market (Daily) - NYSE Bearish, Nasdaq Bearish

Market (Weekly) - NYSE Bullish, Nasdaq Bearish

Market  (Monthly) - NYSE Bullish, Nasdaq Bullish 

Ticker Tape Digest's

Timely Breakout Stocks From Tape Action - April 8

(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

EPL Oil & Gas Inc. (EPL)  - 30.15, up 2.38 - Breakpoint 29.08

Net to Soar 84% This Year, TTD Targets 37

  EPL, based in New Orleans, is an oil and gas exploration firm. Annual revenues: $424 million. EPL's stock breaks out today from a five-week flat base. The move carries the stock to a new all-time high. EPL came public in 2009. So far today, EPL is trading 497,197 shares. Its average daily volume is 323,000 shares.

 TTD highlighted EPL as a breakout at our midsession video show on the Web.

  EPL's stock broke out in the morning cutting across its breakpoint line (see 10-minute chart). The stock continued higher into the afternoon. It then trended sideways.

  In the final hour EPL has resumed its push higher with volume expanding.

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

  One can see the price for the blocks working higher from $26.11 on Friday to as high as $30.15.

  A key bullish trade came in the morning when a block of 20,598 shares crossed the tape at $28.86. That was up from the prior block at $27.17.

  That showed a big jump in price and a good size block.   

   EPL, is an oil and natural gas exploration company.

  The company's operations are concentrated primarily in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico shelf, focusing on the state and federal waters offshore Louisiana.

 EPL was formerly known as Energy Partners, Ltd.

  EPL's 12-month performance chart shows the stock appreciating 90% versus a 17% gain for the S&P 500 index.

  EPL has been one of the strongest stocks in the market.

  EPL's long-term chart shows the stock coming public in late 2009. The stock traded around 11. It then climbed to 18 in 2011. It fell back to 10 late in the year. However, since then the stock has tripled. It is in a strong up trend.   

  EPL's daily chart shows the stock advancing from 20 back November to a peak near 29 by March.

  The stock put down a 5-week base above its rising 50-day moving average line. Today's breakout comes with a gap move to the upside.

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

  The accumulation - distribution line (bottom of chart) is in an overall up trend and compliments the price action of the stock.

  This year, analysts are forecasting an 84% surge in net to $3.39 a share from $1.84 a year ago.

  The stock sells with a price-earnings ratio of  just 8. TTD sees that as attractive to value investors.

  Going out to 2014, the Street is currently forecasting net at just $3.31 a share, down 2% from the $3.39 a year ago.

  However, near-term EPL's net will be very strong.

  Profits for the first quarter should soar 136% to 80 cents a share from 34 cents a year ago. The highest estimate on the Street is at 90 cents a share. TTD sees good chances for an upside earnings surprise. The prior three quarters, EPL topped the consensus by 20 cents a share, 7 cents, and 6 cents.

  For the second quarter, profits are projected to climb 73% to 90 cents a share from 52 cents a year ago.

  Strategy Opinion: EPL is great position to do well near-term. TTD is targeting EPL for a move to 37 off this breakout. A protective stop can be placed near 28.

  TTD rates EPL more of a trading play unless the earnings outlook for next year is boosted.

  Sponsorship: Excellent. A key fund buyer recently was 5-star rated Walthousen Small Cap Value Fund which purchased 363,815 shares, a new position. It has 0.93% stake. The largest fund holder is 3-star rated Oppenheimer Main St. Small and Mid Cap VA. Service Fund with a 2.3% stake. It has held its position steady.

  EPL has 39.2 million shares outstanding. Institutions hold 74% of the stock.

  Insider Activity: Bearish. Insider Wesford Capital has been a heavy seller around $27 to $28 recently. Also, options have been granted at an undisclosed price. Currently, 6 analysts follow the stock, 5 have a buy. the same as three months ago.

Stock Performance Chart with Quarterly Earnings Markers.

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 - 2

Stocks Screened - 8,300

Long-Term Environment for bears: Unfavorable.

Bear Side - Small number of breakdown stocks as stock market holds its ground. Bears be selective. Stock market still in an up trend.  TTD's short from Friday was Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS) at 68.66.  Monday, it is trading at 67.94 and working well for bears.

List of Stocks To Sell or Short

TTD’s Feature Bear Play

Techne Corp.  (TECH) - 65.46, down 0.55

Profits to Slip in Fiscal 2013, TTD Sees Decline to 59

  TECH, based in Minneapolis, makes special biological products. Annual revenues: $312 million. TECH's stock declines today and undercuts key technical support. So far today, TECH is trading 77,682 shares. Its average daily volume is 181,000 shares. TTD sees more on the downside.

  TECH had a gap move lower in the prior session, Friday. It then trended sideways. Monday, the stock declines in the morning again. It hit an intraday low of 64.99. In the afternoon the stock has lifted slightly.

  However, technically, the stock has broken to the downside.

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

  One can see the price for the blocks falling from $67.31 to $65.02. A key bearish trade came in the morning when a block of 1,000 shares crossed the tape at $65.02. That was down from the prior block at $66.01.

  The price pattern of the blocks shows clear institutional selling pressure.

  TECH has two subsidiaries: Research and Diagnostic Systems, Inc. and R&D Systems Europe Ltd. Research and Diagnostic Systems, Inc.

 The company  is a specialty maker of biological products. Its two major operating segments are hematology controls, which are used in hospital and clinical laboratories to check the accuracy of blood analysis instruments, and biotechnology products including purified proteins and antibodies.

  This fiscal year ending June of 2013 analysts forecast a 2% decline in net to $3.20 a share from $3.26 a year ago.

  TECH's daily chart shows the stock cutting below key technical support. The stock's TTD momentum indicator (top of chart) is now bearish.

   Strategy Opinion: TTD is targeting TECH for a decline to 59 within the next few months, or sooner. A protective stop buy can be placed near 66.80.

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. - 2013

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.”

For information to subscribe to the Ticker Tape Digest Services call: B. J. Owen at 1-480-926-1680. Distributed by Corona Publishing Enterprises. Ticker Tape Digest Inc. P.O. Box 2044 Chandler, Az. 85244-2044. TTD “Professional Report” is available on the World Wide Web: $100 per month. Password needed. “TTD Professional“ Faxed is $200 per month. The TTD Daily Report is $39.95. Credit cards accepted.

(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.)