FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Plain-English answers about momentum stock scanning, the Qullamaggie strategy, and how Stockta.ai works. New to the method? Start with the strategy guide.

What is Stockta.ai?

Stockta.ai is a daily momentum stock scanner for the US market. Every trading day it sweeps roughly 790 liquid NASDAQ and S&P 500 stocks across 18 breakout playbooks, including Qullamaggie, Minervini VCP, William O'Neil cup-and-handle and Darvas Box, then scores and ranks the names that are setting up to move on a 1 to 100 momentum score.

What is the Qullamaggie trading strategy?

The Qullamaggie strategy is a momentum breakout method created by Swedish trader Kristian Kullamagi. It buys leading stocks as they break out of tight consolidation bases after a strong prior move, then uses a small initial risk and a trailing moving-average stop to ride the trend. The three core setups are the breakout, the episodic pivot, and the parabolic short. Our plain-English strategy guide walks through each one in detail.

What is a Stage 2 stock?

A Stage 2 stock is one in a confirmed uptrend, a concept from Stan Weinstein's stage analysis. Stockta.ai defines Stage 2 as price trading above a rising 50-day moving average, which itself sits above the 200-day moving average. Stage 2 is the only stage in which momentum breakout traders look to buy, because it signals institutional accumulation.

What is ADR and what is a good ADR value for a stock?

ADR (Average Daily Range) measures how much a stock typically moves in a day, calculated as the 20-day average of (high minus low) divided by low, expressed as a percent. Momentum traders generally want an ADR above 3 to 5 percent, because a stock needs enough daily range to produce a worthwhile move after a breakout. A very low ADR signals a slow, range-bound name.

What is RS (relative strength) rating?

Relative strength measures how a stock is performing against the broad market rather than against its own past. Stockta.ai computes an RS score from 1 to 100 by comparing a stock's 63-day return to the S&P 500 over the same window. A high RS rating (typically 80 or above) means the stock is a market leader, which is exactly where momentum breakouts tend to come from.

What is a momentum breakout?

A momentum breakout is when a stock closes decisively above a level of resistance, such as the top of a multi-week base or a prior high, usually on a surge in volume. It signals that demand has overwhelmed supply and a new leg of the trend may be starting. Breakout traders buy at or just after the breakout and place a stop just below the base.

What is a VCP (volatility contraction pattern)?

A VCP, or volatility contraction pattern, is a base pattern popularized by Mark Minervini in which a stock makes a series of progressively smaller pullbacks while volume dries up. Each contraction shakes out weak holders, and the tightening price action signals that supply is being absorbed. A breakout from the final, tightest contraction is the buy signal.

How does Stockta.ai score stocks?

Each stock gets a momentum score from 1 to 100 built from the signals that tend to precede real moves: relative strength versus the S&P 500, ADR, whether the stock is in a Stage 2 uptrend, how tight its base is, and whether a breakout is firing on above-average volume. Higher scores mean a cleaner, higher-probability setup. You can also filter every metric with sliders.

What stocks and markets does Stockta.ai scan?

Stockta.ai scans roughly 790 unique liquid US tickers, covering the full S&P 500 plus a comprehensive NASDAQ list. The scan runs once per trading day on previous-day candle data, so you start each session with a fresh, ranked list of setups rather than scanning charts by hand.

Is Stockta.ai free?

Stockta.ai offers a 5-day free trial with no credit card required, so you can run real scans before paying. After the trial, paid plans unlock the full scanner, stock detail pages, watchlists, alerts, a trading journal, and AI setup briefs. See the pricing page for current plans.

What is an episodic pivot?

An episodic pivot is a momentum setup where a stock gaps up sharply on a major catalyst, such as an earnings surprise or unexpected news, after a period of being ignored. The gap marks a sudden change in perception that can launch a sustained trend. Traders enter after the gap and manage risk against the low of the gap day or an intraday consolidation.

What breakout playbooks does Stockta.ai include?

Stockta.ai runs 18 breakout playbooks in parallel, including the Qullamaggie breakout and episodic pivot, the Minervini volatility contraction pattern (VCP), William O'Neil cup-and-handle, the Darvas Box, flat bases, high tight flags, and power earnings gaps. Each name on the dashboard tells you which playbooks it currently matches.

Who is Kristian Kullamagi (Qullamaggie)?

Kristian Kullamagi, known online as Qullamaggie, is a Swedish swing trader who became widely known for documenting a momentum breakout method that he says grew a small starting account into a very large portfolio. His approach, focused on Stage 2 leaders breaking out of tight bases with tight risk, is one of the frameworks Stockta.ai screens for automatically.

Is Stockta.ai financial advice?

No. Stockta.ai is a research and educational tool. Its scores, rankings, and AI briefs are generated by automated algorithms on public market data and are for informational purposes only. Nothing in the product is investment advice, and all trading carries risk, so always do your own research and consider a licensed professional.

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