Barchart ratings on volume leaders -- 1/7

These were the volume leaders today and the rating on Barchart:

City Group ( C )

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 8 new highs and up 6.71% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 67.61%

Bank of America (BAC)

• 80% Barchart technical buy signal
• 11 new highs and up 23.16% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 69.95% and rising

Pfizer (PFE)

• 100% Barchart technical buy signal
• 13 new highs and up 9.54% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 76.41% and rising

Ford Motor Credit (F)

• 100% Barchart technical buy signal
• 11 new highs and up 10.08% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 77.79% and rising

Well Fargo (WFC)

• 48% Barchart technical buy signal
• 9 new highs and up 10.61% in the lasy month
• Relative Strength Index 61.95% and rising

Jim Van Meerten is a professional investor with over 40 year experience in investing in stocks, mutual funds and ETFs.  He share his knowledge on Barchart in his daily blogs -- Barchart Portfolio Blogs.

Through Marketocracy Capital Management you can have a Separately Managed Account that mirrors his Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio.

3 Penny stocks on the move -- 1/7

Here are 3 penny stock I found by using Barchart to screen OTCBB stocks hitting the most frequent highs.  These are not buy recommendation but might be interesting to put on your watch lists to see where they go.

ZAAP --Zero Air Pollution, AKA ZAP  is in advanced transportation technologies and energy products. ZAP has a 10-year license on the technology developed by Smart-Automobile LLC to Americanize the popular European-made Smart Car for the U.S. marketplace. ZAP Americanizes the Smart Car to meet U.S. federal and state safety and emissions standards. ZAP is not affiliated with, or authorized by, smart gmbh, the manufacturer of SMART automobiles, or the smartUSA division of Mercedes-Benz LLC, the exclusive authorized U.S. importer and distributor of those vehicles.

• 100% Barchart technical buy signal
• 16 new highs and up 125.32% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 81.85% and rising
• Recently trading at 1.78 which is above its 50 day moving average of .8932

SVRV -- Sun River Energy --   a development stage company, focuses on the exploration of oil and gas properties in North America. As of April 30, 2010, it held oil and gas mineral interests in 158,960 gross acres located in New Mexico. The company is based in Dallas, Texas.

• 100% Barchart technical buy signal
• 16 new highs and up 28.89% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 69.74% and rising
• Trading recently around 2.90 which is above its 50 day moving average of 2.2518

ADNT -- Ardnet Mines -- an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties, primarily gold in Canada. It focuses on the development of the GRN claim located on north of the town of Beaverdell and east of Vancouver, British Columbia. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in New York, New York.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 14 new highs and up 23.53% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 66.60% and rising
• Trading recently around 4.20 which is above its 50 day moving average of 3.2304

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Wells-Gardner Electronics -- WGA -- added

This morning I added Wells-Gardner Electronic (WGA )  to the Barchart Van Meerten Speculative portfolio purely for technical price movements:

• 88% Barchart short term technical buy signal
• 18 new highs and up 28.21% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 82.55% and rising
• Trading recently at 2.50 well above the 50 day moving average of 2.02

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

First Energy Corp -- FE -- added

This morning I added First Energy Corp (FE) to the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio.  This stock has 2 things going for it 1 -- Recent price appreciation and 2 -- 6.30% dividend.  This could pay us a 12.50% total return if I'm reading this stock correctly.

FirstEnergy Corp. is a diversified energy services holding company as the result of the merger of Ohio Edison Company and Centerior Energy Corporation. FirstEnergy companies provide electricity and natural gas services and a wide array of energy-related products and services. FirstEnergy's four electric utility companies, Ohio Edison and its Pennsylvania Power subsidiary, The Illuminating Company and Toledo Edison, serve customers in northern and central Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Recently this stock hit 17 new highs and is up 7.37% in just the last month.  The stock earned an 80% Barchart technical buy signal with a Relative Strength Index that is 75.51% and rising.  It traded recently at 38.01 well above its 50 day moving average of 36.17.

Although Wall Street brokerage analysts are recommending a hold position the investor sentiment on Motley Fool is high with the CAPS members voting 361 to 17 that the stock will beat the market.  The All Stars are also positive 105 to 5.

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Barchart Chart of the Day -- 1/7

Barchart.coms Chart of the Day - Acuity Brands (AYI)

Barchart Research Team - Barchart.com - Thu Jan 06, 9:38PM CST

Related Stocks

 AYI - Acuity Brands Inc

Sym	Last	Chg	Pct
AYI	60.32	+0.29	+0.48%

The "Chart of the Day" is Acuity Brands (AYI), which showed up on Thursday's list of stocks that had a new "Buy" signal from the Barchart "TrendSpotter" trading system. Acuity on Thursday rallied by 2.79% and posted a new 2-week high of $60.12. A rally in Acuity above the recent 3-1/2 year high of $60.54 (posted Dec 13) would be a particularly bullish technical signal and may indicate that a test would soon be forthcoming of the stock's record high of 63.84 posted in July 2007. Acuity Brands, with a market cap of $2.5 billion, is the world's largest lighting fixture manufacturer and includes brands such as LithoniaLighting, Holophane, Peerless, and Hydrel.


How we found the Chart of the Day:
We found the "Chart of the Day" by scanning the Barchart "Trading Signals" page. That page provides a summary of changes in the Barchart signals. We then clicked on the TrendSpotter "Buy" category to obtain a list of all the stocks for which the Barchart TrendSpotter trading system has just turned to a buy. We then clicked on the "Today's Opinion" column header in order to sort the list with the strongest stocks on top. Further information is available at Barchart Signals Guide help page and at TrendSpotter help page.
Barchart's Opinion trading systems are all a Buy and Barchart's daily TrendSpotter trading system is a "Buy." Please note that the Barchart Opinion indicators are updated live during the session every 10 minutes and can therefore change during the day as the market fluctuates. The indicator numbers shown below therefore may not match what you see live on the Barchart.com web site when you read this report.

• TrendSpotter: Buy
• Short-Term Indicators: 80% Buy
• Medium-Term Indicators: 75% Buy
• Long-Term Indicators: 67% Buy
• Overall Average 80% Buy

---

Barchart Morning Call

Barchart Morning Call

Barchart.com - 2 hrs 38 mins ago

Overnight Developments

• Global stocks are trading mostly lower with the European Euro Stoxx 50 index down -0.08% and March S&Ps down -0.40 points. The euro sank to a 3-1/2 month low against the dollar on increased sovereign-debt risks after the Markit iTraxx SovX Western Europe Index of credit-default swaps on 15 governments rose to a record high 214. The euro weakened despite comments from PBOC Deputy Governor Yi Gang who said that "the euro and the European financial markets are an important part of the global financial system and were, are and will be one of the most important investment areas for China's foreign-exchange reserves." European bank stocks led declines in the overall market with Banco Santander, Spain's biggest bank, down 3.2% and UniCredit, Italy's largest lender, down by 2.1%. Nov German retail sales unexpectedly declined -2.4% m/m, its biggest drop in 2-1/2 years and Nov German industrial production slid -0.7% m/m, weaker than expectations for a -0.1% decline.
• The Asian stock markets today closed mixed with Japan up +0.11%, Hong Kong -0.42%, China +0.22%, Taiwan -1.13%, Australia -0.42%, Singapore -0.56%, South Korea +0.32%, India -2.44%. The yen weakened to a 2-week low against the dollar, which helped to strengthen Japanese exporters and push the Nikkei 225 Stock Index up to a 7-1/2 month high. China's Shanghai Stock Index closed higher after the Xinhua news agency reported that Vice Premier Li Keqiang said that China's economy expanded at about 10% in 2010 and that retail sales rose +18.5% from a year earlier. India's Sensex Stock Index closed lower for a fourth day, the longest losing streak in 6 weeks, on speculation the RBI may boost interest rates, while the Aussie dollar slid to a 3-week low against the US dollar on speculation that the worst floods in 50 years may slow the Australian economy and prompt the RBA from raising interest rates.

Overnight U.S. Stock News

• March S&Ps this morning are trading down -0.40 of a point ahead of this morning's Dec US payrolls report. The US stock market on Thursday fell back from an early rally and finished mixed: Dow -0.22%, S&P 500 -0.21%, Nasdaq Composite +0.28%. The S&P 500 climbed to a 2-1/4 year high and the Nasdaq posted a 9-3/4 year high. Bearish factors for stocks included (1) valuation concerns as the S&P 500 Index is trading for almost 16 times the operating profits of its companies, the highest in 6 months, (2) weakness in retailers after some Dec retailer sales were reported weaker than expected after blizzards kept shoppers away from stores the last week of Dec, and (3) profit-taking and long liquidation ahead of Friday's all-important monthly payrolls report.
• Bullish factors included (1) a sign that the US labor market is improving after the US Labor Department reported that the 4-week average of applications for US jobless benefits slipped to 410,750, a nearly 2-1/2 year low, and (2) optimism that company earnings? will continue to improve, as the start of Q4 earnings reporting season begins next week.
• Immucor (BLUD) gained 6.2% in pre-market trading after the company said Q2 EPS rose 30 cents, higher than analysts' estimates of 27 cents, and it forecast 2011 adjusted EPS of $1.08-$1.18 a share, 2 cents higher than analysts' projections of $1.16.

Today's Market Focus

• March 10-year T-notes this morning are down -4.5 ticks. T-note prices on Thursday moved higher and finished with moderate gains: TYH11 +18.5, FVH11 +10.2, EDM11 -1.5. Bullish factors included (1) the Fed's action to purchase $6.78 billion of Treasuries as part of its QE2 asset-purchase program, and (2) short-covering and position squaring ahead of Friday's all-important Dec payrolls report. Bearish factors included (1) a sign that the US labor market is improving after the US Labor Department reported that the 4-week average of applications for US jobless benefits slipped to 410,750, a nearly 2-1/2 year low, and (2) supply pressures as dealers set up for $66 billion of T-note auctions next week.
• The dollar index this morning is higher and at a 1-month high with the dollar/yen +0.24 yen and the euro/dollar -0.25 cents. The dollar on Thursday strengthened throughout the day and settled higher: Dollar Index +0.533, USDJPY +0.088, EURUSD -0.01464. The dollar index climbed to a 1-month high and the euro tumbled to a 1-month low against the dollar. Bullish factors included (1) euro weakness after Nov Euro-Zone retail sales unexpectedly declined along with concern that the European debt crisis is worsening after KBC Groep NV, Belgium's largest bank, said it will take additional provisions of as much as 330 million euros ($434 million), partly related to its Irish loan book, and (2) increased demand for dollars on speculation that Friday's Dec payrolls report will show strength in the economy with employers adding jobs for a third month. Bearish factors included (1) the biggest monthly increase in Nov German factory orders in the last 10 months, and (2) the larger-than-expected increase in the Dec Euro-Zone business climate indicator to its best level in 3-1/2 years, which is euro positive.
• February crude oil prices this morning are trading up +65 cents a barrel and February gasoline is +0.33 of a cent per gallon. Crude oil and gasoline prices on Thursday sold off sharply and finished with large losses: CLG11 -1.92, RBG11 -0.21. Feb crude slid to a 2-week low and Feb gasoline rallied to a 27-month high but relinquished its gains and settled lower. Bearish factors included (1) the rally in the dollar index to a 1-month high, which reduces investment demand in commodities, and (2) concern that a slower recovery in some European nations will prolong the region's debt crisis and reduce its energy demand. Bullish factors included (2) early strength in gasoline which climbed to a 27-month high on optimism about the economic recovery and the potential for increased fuel demand, and (2) comments from the Kuwaiti Oil Minister who said a price of $75 a barrel for crude oil ?is over now? and a higher price range of $80 to $100 a barrel is acceptable.

Today's U.S. Earnings Reports Earnings reports (confirmed releases, sorted by mkt cap) KBH-KB Home (BEST earnings consensus -$0.16), TXI-Texas Industries (-0.55), RBN-Robbins & Myers (0.33), PSMT-Pricesmart (0.05), GBX-Greenbrier Cos. (-0.16), AZZ-AZZ Inc (0.76).
Global Financial Calendar

Friday 1/7/11
United States
0830 ET	Dec nonfarm payrolls expected +150,000, Nov +39,000. Dec private payrolls (ex government and temporary census workers) expected +175,000, Nov +50,000. Dec unemployment rate expected ?0.1 to 9.7%, Nov +0.2 to 9.8%. Dec manufacturing payrolls expected +3,000, Nov ?13,000. Dec avg hourly earnings all employees expected +0.2% m/m and +1.8% y/y, Nov unchanged m/m and +1.6% y/y. Dec avg weekly hours all employees expected unchanged at 34.3, Nov unchanged at 34.3.
0930 ET	Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will testify before the Senate Budget Committee on monetary and fiscal policy and the U.S. economic outlook.
1215 ET	Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota speaks on a panel discussion on ?Internal Debt Crisis and Sovereign Defaults? at the annual meeting of the Allied Social Science Association in Denver, CO.
1500 ET	Nov consumer credit expected +$500 million, Oct +$3.4 billion.
1630 ET	Chicago Fed President Charles Evans speaks on a panel discussion on ?The Future of Monetary Policy? at the annual meeting of the Allied Social Science Association in Denver, CO.
Germany
0200 ET	Nov German trade balance expected +15.0 billion euros, Oct +14.2 billion euros. Nov exports expected +0.9% m/m, Oct ?1.3% m/m. Nov imports expected +2.0% m/m, Oct +0.1% m/m.
0200 ET	Nov German retail sales expected +1.0% m/m and +2.7% y/y, Oct +0.2% m/m and ?0.7% y/y.
0600 ET	Nov German industrial production expected ?0.2% m/m and +10.9% y/y, Oct +2.9% m/m and +11.7% y/y.
Euro-Zone
0500 ET	Revised Q3 Euro-Zone GDP expected no change at +0.4% q/q and +1.9% y/y.
0500 ET	Nov Euro-Zone unemployment rate expected unchanged at 10.1%, Oct +0.1 to 10.1%.
Canada
0700 ET	Dec Canada change in employment expected +20,000, Nov +15,200. Dec unemployment rate expected +0.1 to 7.7%, Nov ?0.3 to 7.6%. Dec participation rate expected 67.0, Nov 66.9.

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3 Hot ETFs - 1/6

When I talk about a hot stock or hot ETF I don't mean the most active or the fastest moving I'm talking of the ones that have hit the most frequent new high according to the new high lists on Barchart.  Here are the ETFs for today.

VOX - Telecom Services ETF --   an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund, which employs a passive management or indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) US Investable Market Telecommunication Services Index, an index of stocks of large, medium, and small U.S. companies in the telecommunication services sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). This GICS sector is made up of companies that provide communications services primarily through a fixed-line, cellular, wireless, high bandwidth, and/or fiber-optic cable network. The fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index. The fund also may sample its target index by holding stocks that, in the aggregate, are intended to approximate the index in terms of key characteristics, such as price/earnings ratio, earnings growth, and dividend yield. Typically, the fund will use a sampling strategy only if regulatory constraints or other considerations prevent it from replicating the index.

• 72% Barchart technical buy signal
• 17 new highs and up 5.37% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index us 64.03% and rising
• Trades around 66.28 which is above its 50 day moving average of 63.46

PWV -- Dynamic Large Cap Value --The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield (before the Fund%u2019s fees and expenses) of an equity index called the Dynamic Large Cap Value IntellidexSM Index (the %u201CUnderlying Intellidex%u201D). The Underlying Intellidex methodology is designed to objectively identify those stocks within a particular market segment that have the greatest potential for capital appreciation. The methodology evaluates companies quarterly, based on a variety of criteria, including fundamental growth, stock valuation, investment timeliness and risk factors, and then ranks and sorts them based on their cumulative scores. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of large capitalization companies.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 17 new highs and up 4.37% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 70.97%
• Trading around 18.80 which is well above its 50 day moving average of 18.12 

JKF - Morningstar Large Value ETF -- The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Morningstar Large Value Index (the "Underlying Index"). The Underlying Index measures the performance of stocks issued by large- capitalization companies that have exhibited above-average "value" characteristics as determined by Morningstar's proprietary index methodology. Underlying Index constituents are drawn from the pool of liquid stocks issued by U.S.-domiciled companies that trade publicly on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), the NYSE Amex Equities or The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 16 new highs and up 5.85% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 76.11% and rising
• Trades around 60.61 well above its 50 day moving average of 57.56

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Autozone sell signals

This afternoon I deleted Autozone (AZO) from the Van Meerten New High Portfolio for negative price trends:

• 60% Barchart short term  technical sell signal
• 32% Overall sell signal
• Trend Spotter (tm) sell signal
• Trading below its 20 and 50 daily moving average
• 9.57% off its recent high
• Relative Strength Index 30.56% and falling

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Hatteras Financial -- HTS -- deleted

This morning I deleted Hatteras Financial (HTS) from the Barchart Van Meerten Speculative portfolio for negative price trends:

• 60% Barchart short term technical sell signal
• 24% Barchart Overall technical sell signal
• Trading below its 20 and 50 day moving average
• Lost 6.83% off its recent high
• Relative Strength Index 35.04% and dropping

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Family Dollar -- FDO -- deleted

Sometimes you have to let the numbers overrule your heart.  Family Dollar (FDO) was deleted from the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio for recent negative price trends:

• 60% Barchart short term sell signal
• 48% Barchart overall sell signal
• Trend Spotter (tm) sell signal
• Trading below its 20, 50 and 100 day moving average
• Dropped 12.90% off its recent high
• Relative Strength Index is 25.82% and falling

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

XOM -- Is it too late?

Exxon Mobil (XOM) is a stock that almost every one likes and already owns.  The question is can it go any higher?

Their principal business is energy, involving exploration for, and production of, crude oil and natural gas, manufacturing of petroleum products and transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products. Exxon Mobil is a major manufacturer and marketer of basic petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics and a wide variety of specialty products. Exxon Mobil is engaged in exploration for, and mining and sale of coal, copper and other minerals. Right now the stock enjoys a 100% Barchart technical buy signal after hitting 12 new highs and appreciating by 5.11% in the last month.  The Relative Strength Index is 75.79% and still rising.  It trades around 74.85 which is higher than its 50 day moving average of 70.79. Wall Street brokerage analysts have this as a core holding with 8 buy and 11 hold recommendations for their broker to push on clients,  They still project a 10.20% increase in revenue next year along with an 11.10% increase in earnings.  EPS is projected to increase 12.07% annually for 5 years out.  The 2.3% dividend looks safe and just might even increase. The general investing public is super high on this stock with the CAPS members on Motley Fool voting 7,403 to 472 that the stock will beat the market.  The All Stars agree with a vote of 1,685 to 64. There is an old Wall Street adage that says when everyone thinks they are right that's the time everyone is wrong.  I'm going out on a limb and say that doesn't apply to Exxon.  The world economy although not yet in an all out recovery certainly is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.  As the US, European and even emerging markets begin experiencing higher employment there are 5 areas that you just have to invest in. Those areas are where governments and the rising middle classes will spend their dollars: Energy Water Food Infrastructure Medical/Pharmaceuticals Own those companies that are international market leaders in their respective industries and you probably won't go wrong. In oil and gas you can't get much bigger or better than Exxon.  They are the market leader not only in the US but around the world.  If the world economy can get better then so will Exxon. Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com. Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

TREX -- Building material long shot

This morning I added a building material long shot Trex Company (TREX) to the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio.  This stock is added because of current price momentum and projections that this company can benefit from both new construction and remodelling as the economy recovers.

Trex Company, Inc. is a manufacturer of non-wood decking alternative products, which are marketed under the brand name Trex. Trex Wood-Polymer(TM) lumber is a wood/plastic composite that offers an attractive appearance and the workability of wood without wood's on-going maintenance requirements and functional disadvantages. Trex is manufactured in a proprietary process that combines waste wood fibers and reclaimed polyethylene and is used primarily for residential and commercial decking. They promote Trex among consumers and contractors as a premium decking product.

The new product the company is banking on is Transcend -- a recycled/manufactured wood product that can be made to mimic exotic hardwoods for a lower price and greater durability.

The company came to my attention by hitting new highs 20 straight days in a row and having a 30.49% price appreciation in the last month.  That momentum earned it a 96% Barchart technical buy signal. The Relative Strength Index is 80.91% and still climbing.  The stock traded this morning around 25.23 which is above its 50 day moving average of 20.19.

Wall Street brokerage analysts are calling this a turn around play with an increase in sales of 10.10% next year.  Coming off a loss they expect earnings to increase by 1,550% and continue for the next 5 years at a 20.00% annual rate.  They have 6 strong buy and 2 hold recommendations published.

The general investing public as reflected on Motley Fool is not yet convinced.  The CAPS members are split 72 to 55 that the stock might beat the market but the more experienced All Stars are split 21 to 25 that it won't.  I'm hoping that I found this one ahead of the curve and will benefit as the general investor changes their collective minds.

Points I considered:

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 20 new highs and up 30.49% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 80.91% and still rising
• Wall Street has 6 strong buys
• My caution is that the general investor sentiment is split on this one

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

3 Hot Nasdaq stocks -- 1/5

When I call your attention to hot stocks I mean positive and consistent price momentum.  Each morning I go the the Barchart list of new high/lows then sort for frequency.  Here are 3 interesting NASDAQ stock you might want to add to your watch lists:

LHCG -- LHC Group -- provides post-acute healthcare services primarily to Medicare beneficiaries in rural markets in the southern United States. They provide home-based services through their home nursing agencies and hospices and facility-based services through their long-term acute care hospitals and outpatient rehabilitation clinics.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 20 new highs and up 27.41% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 76.97% and rising
• Trades around 31.52 well above its 50 day moving average of 27.13

PRIM -- Primoris Services -- The industry-leading Policy Tracking System application resides at their state-of-the-art data center. Primoris has a document processing capability to handle the smallest or largest jobs for your business. When dealing with data processing, Internet, networking and insurance, they excel in detailed technical knowledge and real world experience. PRIMORIS is a technology partner with IDMI, developers of the PTS system, who have been providing excellent customer service since 1996. Priority support through PRIMORIS' Technical Excellence Center on all PTS problems will receive their utmost care. Also, consulting on network, provisioning, and data processing requirements are available to Primoris clients.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 18 new highs and up 8.52% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 68.60
• Trades around 9.69 well above its 50 day moving average of 8.73

EBMT - Eagle Bancorp Montana -- operates as a holding company for American Federal Savings Bank that provides retail banking services in the south central portion of Montana. The company offers various deposit and loan products and services. The Bank is a federally chartered savings bank, engaging in typical banking activities: acquiring deposits from local markets and investing in loans and investment securities. Eagle Bancorp also offers real estate construction loans; consumer loans comprising auto loans, RV loans, boat loans, personal loans and credit lines, and deposit account loans; and commercial loans. Headquartered in Helena, Montana, the Company's mission is to efficiently increase value for its customers, shareholders, employees and communities.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 18 new highs and up 9.93% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index 79.30% and rising
• Trades around 10.85 well above its 50 day moving average of 10.30

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Dril-Quip has sell signals

This morning I'm placing a sell order in on Dril-Quip (DRQ), deleting it from the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio.  The key to a successful portfolio isn't so much buying good stocks but knowing when to cut your losses.  There is no magic formula just a list of pros and cons and knowing when one outweighs the other.

My default chart on Barchart is the price vs, 20,50 & 100 daily moving average with the Trend Spotter (tm) on bottom.  When I can't decide I switch the chart from a daily chart to an hourly chart and the decision is usually obvious.  Click on these links and see what I mean.

DRQ -- Daily chart

DRQ -- Hourly chart

Here are my other reasons:

• 60% Barchart short term sell signal
• Closed yesterday below its 20 and 50 day moving average
• Observation of daily and hourly chart
• Relative Strength Index is 42.04% and tanking
• Lost 5.84% in the last 20 trading sessions

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Geomet Inc -- GMET -- Added

Today I added Geomet Inc (GMET) to the Barchart Van Meerten Speculative portfolio.  An independent energy company primarily engaged in the exploration for and development and production of natural gas from coal seams (coalbed methane or CBM) and non-conventional shallow gas. Geomet's principal operations and producing properties are located in the Cahaba Basin in Alabama and the Central Appalachian Basin in West Virginia and Virginia. Geomet also controls additional coal bed methane and oil and gas development rights, principally in Alabama, British Columbia, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The company hold development rights on about 200,000 acres all in the US and Canada so political disruptions shouldn't hamper them.

The stock is a recent mover hitting 17 new highs and a price appreciation of 68.86% in the last month.  Since the Relative Strength Index is 80.48% and still climbing its not running out of  steam yet.  The momentum has earned it a 96% Barchart technical buy signal.  It trades around 1.36 which is well above its 50 day moving average of .87.

Even though this is a penny mineral stock 2 Wall Street brokerage firms are following it and have published buy recommendations for their clients based on projected next year increases in revenue of 16.50% and an earnings increase of 12.50% next year.  They estimate a compounded 5 year EPS growth rate of 15.00%.

This small cap stock is followed by the CAPS members on Motley Fool and they think the stock will beat the market by a vote of 61 to 11.

The stock was added because:

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 17 new highs and up 68.86% in the last month
• Wall Street brokerage buy report based on estimates double digit increases in both sales and earnings
• A small but positive investor sentiment

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

3 Hottest AMEX stocks -- 1/4

When I say hottest stocks I'm not talking revenue, earnings or fastest price appreciation.  My idea of hot is how many times this stock hit new highs recently.  I use Barchart new high/low screens then sort for frequency.  These are not buy recommendation but you might want to add these to your watch lists.

PLX - Protalix Biotherapeutics  -- is engaged in the provision of practice management services to the Affiliated Practices pursuant to long-term Administrative Services Agreements with separately organized affiliated professional associations. Under the Administrative Services Agreements, they have control over all non-orthodontic functions of the PA Contractors, including administrative, management, billing and support functions.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 19 new highs and up 16.17% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index is 69.09% and rising
• Trades around 10.13 which is well above its 50 day moving average of 9.30

TSH -- Teche Holdongs --   operates as the holding company for Teche Federal Bank that offers various financial services in Louisiana. Its consumer and commercial deposit product line includes checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, demand and NOW accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company’s loan portfolio comprises one-to four-family residential real estate loans; construction loans; multi-family and commercial real estate loans; commercial non-real estate loans; land loans; home equity loans; and consumer loans consisting of loans secured by deposits, home equity loans, automobile loans, mobile home loans, and unsecured personal consumer loans. As of September 30, 2009, Teche Federal Bank operated 20 offices in St. Mary, Lafayette, Iberia, St. Martin, Terrebonne, upper Lafourche, East Baton Rouge, St. Landry, and Ascension Parishes of Louisiana. The company was founded in 1934 and is based in New Iberia, Louisiana.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 17 new highs and up 8.75% in the last month
• Relative Strength Index is 69.26% and rising
• Trades around 34.70 well above its 50 day moving average of 32.28

IEC -- IEC Electronics -- a full service, ISO 9001 and 9002 certified, contract manufacturer employing state-of-the-art production utilizing both surface mount and pin-through-hole technology. IEC offers its customers a wide range of manufacturing and management services, on either a turnkey or consignment basis, including design prototyping, material procurement and control, concurrent engineering services, manufacturing and test engineering support, statistical quality assurance and complete resource management.

• 96% Barchart technical buy signal
• 17 new highs and up 29.83% in the last month
• Relative strength Index 76.60% and rising
• Trades around 7.76 which is above its 50 day moving average of 6.22

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.