Daily - Go to TTD's Chart scroller of  Breakout Stocks - Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Daily - Bullish Investors  - Go To TTD Pre-Market Opening Breakout Watch  List and Performance - Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Daily - Bullish Aggressive Investor - Go To TTD Quick Trade Setups (74% win rate) - Wednesday, May 3 2017

Ticker Tape Digest

Wednesday - May 3, 2017

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 high 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.

Monday - May 3, 2017

TTD's Breakout Stocks

  Stock Market Overview

Total Buy Breakouts so far today - 12

Quality of Breakouts - Average

Stocks Screened - 12,234

Bull side -  Large list of breakouts Wednesday with some stocks moving higher on good earnings. Bulls can venturesome.

Stock market - Fed holds interest rates unchanged. All major averages and time sequences remain bullish.

Stock Market Momentum

(Based on 14 unit moving average)

Ticker Tape Digest's

Timely Breakout Stocks From Tape Action - Wednesday

(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

Assurant Inc. (AIZ) - 104.51,  up 6.37 - Breakpoint 100.88

Net Tops Estimates, TTD Targets 122

  AIZ, based in New York, provides risk management solutions in the housing and lifestyle markets. Annual revenues: $7.5 million. AIZ's stock drives higher Wednesday and breaks out from a 10-week, cup-and-handle base.

 The move carries the stock to a new all-time high. AIZ came public back in 2004 at $25.74.

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

  So far today, AIZ is trading 1.2 million shares, triple its average daily volume of 354,000 shares.

  AIZ's stock drove sharply higher in the morning clearing its resistance line.

  The stock eventually worked its was to a peak of 104.67 in the afternoon.

  The stock showed a good finish at the close with strong volume.

  Tape Action

   AIZ's tape action shows the recent block trades.

   One can see the price for the blocks climbing from $97.74 in the prior session to as high as $104.55 Wednesday.

   A key bullish trade during the session came near the close when a massive block of 99,460 shares (duplicated) crossed the tape at $104.51.

  That was up sharply from the prior block trade at $103.66 on 26,880 shares.

  That strong institutional buying late in the day bodes well for a follow through move by AIZ on Thursday.

  Business

 AIZ operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

 AIZ's provides services to protect appliances, electronic devices and other items via insurance.

  The company also provides pre-funded funeral insurance and annuity products. Its Global Preneed Segment operates in the United States and Canada.

  Charts

  AIZ's 12-month performance chart shows a 22% gain versus a 12% gain for the stock market.

  Insiders were light sellers recently at $91 to $99 a share.

  AIZ's long-term chart shows the stock climbing from a bear market low of  $12.52 a share in 2008 to around $40 in 2010.  The stock put down a long-term base and broke out in 2013 and has since been in a strong up trend.

 AIZ's daily chart shows the stock forming a cup-and-handle base.

  The handle portion is not up to the breakpoint line because the stock just blew out of its base.

  The breakout showed good volume.

  The close near the high of the day is very bullish.

  The CCI momentum indicator is strongly bullish.

  Earnings Outlook

   This year, analysts are forecasting a robust 42% surge in profits to $6.33 a share from $4.47 a year ago.

   The stock sells with a price-earnings ratio of 16.

   The p/e is half the earnings growth rate. That makes AIZ a good valuation play.

   Looking out to 2018, the Street is predicting a 15% increase in net to $7.26 a share from the anticipated $6.33 a share.

   Net for the upcoming second quarter is expected to rise 13% to $1.60 a share from $1.42 the year before.

   Then for the third quarter, net is expected to surge 48% to $1.48 a share from the $1 a year before.    

Strategy Opinion: TTD is targeting AIZ for a move to $122 a share within the next few months, or sooner. A protective stop can be placed near $98.

  TTD rates AIZ a good intermediate-term play.

Suitability: Average Bulls.

        TTD's special research of  Stock's Prior Performance:  

Probability - Breakout Success - Average. AIZ has scored some modest gains off its breakouts. It remains in a long-term up trend.

Probability - Earnings Response - Average.  AIZ has moved higher 7 out of its past 12 earnings reports where there was a significant change. tocks

Probability:  Seasonal Success - Above Average -  AIZ has moved higher an average of 5.3% in May over the past five years. It has risen in every May.

           Stock's Prior Performance After A Breakout

(In actual trading, entry and exit points could vary depending on broker execution.

Also, ideal are breakouts to a new 52-week high or better, perhaps all-time highs.)

  Stock's Long-term Chart

   Stock's Performance Chart with Quarterly Earnings Markers vs. S&P 500

Insider Buying in Green  - Insider Selling in Red

   Stock's Monthly Seasonal Performance Chart - Past 5 Years

Showing % Months UP and % Change

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 - 19

Stocks Screened - 12,234

Long-Term Environment for bears:  Unfavorable.

Bear Side -  Large list of breakdown stocks Wednesday. Many stocks getting hit on earnings disappointments. Bears can be venturesome. Stock market still holds up trend, though.

List of Stocks To Sell or Short

TTD’s Feature Bear Play

Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) - 76.75, down 5.43

Earnings Disappoint, TTD Sees Drop Decline to 64

  VRSK, based in Jersey City, N.J., is a data analytics provider serving the insurance, natural resources and financial services industries. Annual revenues: $2 billion. VRSK's stock drops sharply Wednesday after reporting disappointing quarterly earnings. TTD sees more on the downside.

  So far today, VRSK is trading a heavy 4.1 million shares, five times its average daily volume of 716,000 shares.

  VRSK's stock gapped lower in the morning and touched an intraday low of $76.50.

  The stock then lifted back to around $78, but then faded back to around $76 and trended sideways unable to rally.

   Tape Action

  VRSK's tape action shows the recent block trades.

  One can see the price for the blocks falling from $82.18 in the prior session to as low as $76.55 at the opening.

  A key bearish trade came at the opening when a block of 20,314 shares (duplicated) crossed the tape at $76.51.

  That was down sharply from the prior block trade the day before at $82.18 on 17,405 shares.

   Business

  VRSK operates in two areas: Risk assessment and decision analytics.

Its Risk Assessment segment serves its property and casualty insurance customers. It focuses on prediction of loss, selection and pricing of risk, and compliance.

  In the decision analytics segment, the company develops predictive models to forecast scenarios and produce both standard and customized analytics that help its customers manage their businesses, including predicting loss, selecting and pricing risk, detecting fraud before and after a loss event.

Earnings:

  VRSK reported net for the first quarter came in at 74 cents a share. That was below the consensus estimate of 78 cents a share.

  This year, analysts have been forecasting a 6% rise in net to $3.28 a share from $3.11 the year before.

  That forecast could be lowered.

  Net for the second quarter should be up 9% to 80 cents a share from 73 cents the year before.

  VRSK has missed consensus estimates three out of the past five quarters.

Charts:   

  VRSK's 12-month performance chart shows the stock even versus a 16% gain for the stock market.

  VRSK's long-term chart shows the stock in a major up trend climbing from $27 back in 2009 to a peak recently at $87.40. The stock has pulled back now and has gapped below its 50-day moving average line.

Strategy Opinion: TTD is targeting VRSK for a decline to $64 a share. A protective stop buy can be placed near $81.

Suitability: Aggressive Bulls.

  TTD's special probability research of  stock's Prior Performance:  

Probability - Earnings Response -  Average. VRSK rose 5 out of the past 10 earnings reports.

Probability:  Seasonal Activity - Very Bearish.  VRSK has declined an average of 2.8%  in May the past several years.  It is its worst performing month.  

   Stock Performance Chart with Quarterly Earnings Markers vs. S&P 500

Insider Buying in Green  - Insider Selling in Red

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. - 2017

TTD columnist Leo Fasciocco has covered the stock market for over 30 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: Beverly 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.)