Scanner to Trash Bin: Why These Trades Didn’t Make the Cut

by Chris Pulver | Jun 2, 2025

>>>I’m unveiling my brand-new predictive breakthrough at 4 p.m. ET today — I’ll also share the No. 1 stock in a rare pinch setup!<<<

I’ve been getting a lot of great questions about my brand-new Pinch Point Scanner, so I thought this would be a good time to address a big one…

Just because a stock shows up on my scanner doesn’t mean I’m going to trade it. In fact, more often than not, the setup ends up in the trash.

That was the case with several names I looked at going into the weekend — Comcast (CMCSA), Target (TGT), Viking Therapeutics (VKTX), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) and WIlliams Cos. (WMB).

Now let’s discuss why…

Why None of These Passed the Test

Target looked like it had some potential. I had lows around $88 and recent highs over $100, with an expected move around $8. But even with multiple structure options — long strangle, iron condor, even a debit spread — I couldn’t get a reward-to-risk profile that made sense.

The trades were just backward. I accidentally filled one and immediately closed it for a small loss. Not worth the capital.

IONS wasn’t much better. It had a decent expected move, but the option chain was too wide, the spreads were $2.50, and the premium on the downside didn’t justify the trade. I don’t like paying for the entire expected move, especially if I can’t get enough back on either side of a strangle.

Comcast was another one that failed the test. It looked liquid and had enough movement to be interesting, but the strike intervals and pricing just didn’t work.

I couldn’t get the premium or width I wanted without taking on a poor return. So that one went back on the shelf.

WMB was a possible bear call spread idea. The break-even was above recent highs, so I tried to get filled at $1.85 but couldn’t get the execution I wanted. I wasn’t going to chase it lower — I’d rather let it go than accept a bad fill.

VKTX had earnings coming up and an expected move of about $5. But the option pricing was way too efficient. Even if it made the move, the trade barely covered the cost. Without a clear edge, I passed.

That’s the real filtering process on my Pinch Point Scanner.

You start with 10,000 stocks and maybe end up with a few ideas that even come close to pricing out. But unless the structure is there, it’s not worth it. If the math doesn’t line up, the trade doesn’t go on. Simple as that.

If you want to see the Pinch Point Scanner in action, I’m unveiling this brand-new predictive breakthrough at 4 p.m. ET today — I’ll also share the No. 1 stock in a rare pinch setup!

Just go here at 4 o’clock!

I’ll see you in the markets.

Chris Pulver

Chris Pulver Trading

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