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Earnings

Earnings Watch

Stocks with upcoming earnings AND a bullish technical setup. Pattern + catalyst = the highest-conviction pre-earnings plays.

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What is this pattern?

The most powerful pre-earnings trades happen when a clean technical setup lines up with a near-term earnings catalyst. The Earnings Watch scanner cross-references our 15 most reliable bullish pattern scanners (Bull Flag, VCP, Cup & Handle, Ascending Triangle, Livermore, Qullamaggie, Minervini, CANSLIM, PEG, IHS, New Uptrend, Pocket Pivot, BX Trend, RS New High, Buyable Gap Up) against the upcoming-earnings calendar. Stocks that appear in BOTH lists are the highest-conviction pre-earnings plays in the market.

Origin & History

Combining catalyst and technical setup is the foundation of every great trader's methodology, from Jesse Livermore (who waited for both pivotal point AND fundamental story) to William O'Neil's CAN SLIM (where the 'N' for new product/news is required alongside the technical breakout). The Earnings Watch scanner systematizes this confluence by automating the cross-reference — surfacing the names where pattern and catalyst align on the same ticker, on the same week.

Detection Criteria

Our scanner evaluates the following criteria when detecting Earnings Watch setups across 5,000+ stocks daily.

Estimated next earnings date within 30 days
The 30-day window covers both swing-trade and short-term positioning windows.
Cross-reference against 15 bullish pattern scanners
Cross-referencing the strongest bullish scanners ensures only stocks with confirmed technical setups appear.
Number of independent setups firing on the same ticker
3+ simultaneous bullish patterns is institutional-level conviction; 1 is just a watch.
Days until earnings (closer = higher conviction)
Imminent catalysts get bonus grading because the asymmetry is most tradeable when the catalyst is days away.
Trend positioning vs 50 SMA
Above-50-SMA trend filter ensures the broader name is in an uptrend, not just the pattern.

Grading Breakdown

For earnings watch setups, an A+ grade means a stock with upcoming earnings (especially within 7 days) AND multiple bullish technical setups firing simultaneously, with high date confidence and price above the 50 SMA. Lower grades meet fewer of these criteria. This is not a prediction of future price movement — it is a way to prioritize which charts deserve your attention first.

A+
Textbook setup — strong confluence across all criteria. Highest conviction.
A
High-quality setup worth watching closely. Minor criteria may be slightly off.
B+
Decent setup with some reservations. One or two criteria fall short of ideal.
B
Pattern detected but lower conviction. Use as a watchlist candidate, not a trade trigger.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Treating the cross-reference as a buy signal alone — always confirm the technical setup is still valid at the moment of entry
Holding through earnings just because the technical setup is strong — the asymmetry is still there
Ignoring how many setups are firing — 3 simultaneous bullish patterns is meaningfully stronger than 1

How to Trade This Pattern

Entry

Trade the underlying technical pattern as if there were no earnings catalyst, using the catalyst as a tailwind. Plan your exit to be flat before the report.

Stop Loss

Use the pattern's invalidation level (flag low, pivot low, base low). Catalyst alone does not save a broken pattern.

Price Target

Take profits as the report approaches. Don't gamble on the post-earnings reaction unless you have edge there.

This is educational content only. Not financial advice. Always do your own research and manage risk appropriately.

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AskLivermore scans 5,000+ NASDAQ and NYSE stocks daily · Not financial advice · Past performance does not guarantee future results