CAN SLIM GROWTH MOMENTUM

The Jim Roppel
Monster Stock Methodology

A systematic framework for identifying, entering, and managing
the market's strongest growth stocks

40+
Years Trading
60+
O'Neil Seminars
~$100M
AUM Peak
$30M+
Single Trade (BIDU)

Who Is Jim Roppel?

Career Timeline

1985
Dorm Room
1991
First O'Neil Seminar
1985-2004
Retail Broker
2004
Hedge Fund
2020+
The Roppel Report

Featured In

  • "How Legendary Traders Made Millions"
  • "Monster Stocks" by John Boik
  • Bloomberg & MarketWatch

O'Neil Mentorship

  • Direct mentee of William O'Neil
  • 60+ seminars attended
  • 8 CAN SLIM Master Classes

The CAN SLIM Foundation

C
Current Quarterly EarningsEPS ≥ 25% YoY growth
A
Annual Earnings Growth25%+ over 3–5 years
N
New Products, Management, HighsCatalyst + new price highs
S
Supply & DemandTight float + heavy volume on breakouts
L
Leader or LaggardRS Rating ≥ 85
I
Institutional SponsorshipRising fund ownership quarter-over-quarter
M
Market DirectionDistribution days, follow-through days
"The CAN SLIM system isn't just a checklist — it's a philosophy."

The 20/20 Fundamental Screen

All four metrics must show ≥ 20% — each validates the others

≥20%

Earnings
Growth

Quarterly EPS vs prior year

≥20%

Sales
Growth

Quarterly revenue vs prior year

≥20%

Return
on Equity

Management efficiency

≥20%

Profit
Margins

Pricing power, scalable ops

Why all 4 must align: Earnings without sales growth may be unsustainable. Sales without margins can't compound. ROE confirms capital efficiency. Together they form a bulletproof fundamental profile.

Technical Criteria

RS Rating ≥ 85

Relative Strength New High Before Price (RSNHBP) signal — stock's RS line making new highs before the price does

Volume Confirmation

40–50% above 50-day average volume on breakout day. Proves institutional commitment.

Moving Average Structure

Price must be above 50-DMA. Use 21 EMA as short-term gauge for trend health.

Base Patterns

Cup-with-handle, flat base, double bottom, high-tight-flag. Proper constructive price action.

Pocket Pivot Signal

Up-day volume exceeds any down-day volume in prior 10 sessions — signals early institutional accumulation before the official breakout.

Entry Rules

  1. 1 Buy at Proper Buy Point
    Never more than 5% extended past the pivot
  2. 2 Demand Volume Confirmation
    40–50%+ above 50-day average volume
  3. 3 Never Buy Below the 50-DMA
    Institutional support must be intact
  4. 4 Build the "Cushion"
    Profit buffer from entry protects against shakeouts
  5. 5 Respect Market Direction
    The "M" in CAN SLIM — don't fight the trend
  6. 6 Use 50-DMA Pullback as Secondary Entry
    Low-risk add point for confirmed leaders
"Liquidity and cushion — these are the two things that keep you alive."

Risk Management — The 3-5-7 Rule

3%
Max Risk Per Trade
Absolute maximum capital at risk on any single position
5%
Max Total Portfolio Exposure
Aggregate risk across all open positions
7%
Minimum Profit Target
Seek at least 7% gain before considering a sell

Creates a 2.3 : 1 reward-to-risk ratio

Even a 40% win rate produces positive expectancy

Stop-Loss Discipline

The 3-4-5% Rule (taped to his desk)

3%
Speculative positions
4%
Standard stop
5%
Mandatory exit

Defensive Selling

  • Stop-loss hit
  • Break below 50-DMA
  • Abnormal price/volume action
  • Accumulation of distribution days

Offensive Selling

  • Climax top (exhaustion gap)
  • Key reversal on heavy volume
  • Extended 50%+ above 50-DMA
  • Late-stage base failure

The "Monster Stock" Framework

Fundamental
Screen
Technical
Setup
Breakout
Entry
Hold &
Manage
Climax
Exit

What Makes a "Monster"

New paradigm catalyst (technology shift, regulation change)
Explosive earnings acceleration quarter over quarter
Institutional discovery phase — smart money accumulating
RS line making new highs before price confirms
Multi-base advance (2–3 bases before full run)

True Market Leaders (TMLs)

The stocks that lead each bull cycle — and how to identify them early

First to Emerge

TMLs break out of bases and recover first from market corrections, often while the indices are still forming bottoms.

Tightest Bases

Base depth of 10–15% vs 25%+ for average stocks. Tight action shows strong institutional holding.

Volume Signature

Volume dries up on pullbacks (no selling pressure) and surges on up-days (institutional accumulation).

Group Leadership

Found in the top-performing industry groups. Strength clusters in leading sectors of each cycle.

Institutional Ownership — Must show increasing fund ownership quarter over quarter

"Patience keeps you in a stock that's going to triple."

Chart Patterns — Visual Guide

Cup-with-Handle

Primary Setup · 7–65 Weeks

Pivot BUY Cup Handle

50-DMA Bounce

Secondary Entry Point

50-DMA BUY 50-DMA test Uptrend Pullback to 50-DMA Resumption

Landmark Trade — BIDU

Baidu Inc.
$30M+ Profit

Thesis

China's explosive internet growth. Baidu was the dominant search engine — the "Google of China" during the country's digital transformation.

Entry

Breakout from a proper base pattern on significantly above-average volume. Classic CAN SLIM buy signal.

Management

Held through multiple 50-DMA tests. Built cushion on the initial move and used pullbacks to 50-DMA as confirmation of continued institutional support.

Exit

Sold on climactic action — exhaustion gap, massive volume, widest daily range. Classic offensive sell signal.

Landmark Trades — NFLX & AVGO

Netflix
$8.9M

Streaming paradigm shift
Netflix represented a fundamental disruption of content distribution. The shift from DVD-by-mail to streaming was the "N" in CAN SLIM — a new product that changed an entire industry.

Paradigm Shift CAN SLIM "N"
Broadcom
$30M+

Broadband revolution infrastructure
Infrastructure play powering the broadband buildout. Essential chip supplier during a massive connectivity expansion cycle.

Infrastructure Semiconductor

Recent Result (2024)

+65% in 30 days during the AI bull market

The 10 Commandments

Roppel's guiding principles for consistent trading performance

1
One Day Shouldn't Break You
2
Preparation Is Key
3
Know Your Market History
4
Cultivate Tranquility in Chaos
5
Never Give Up
6
Create Your Battle Plan
7
Don't Live on a Razor's Edge
8
Extract Yourself from Chaos
9
Watch the Tape for Gaps
10
No Stock Is Perfect

Summary Framework

SCREEN

  • 20/20 Filter
    EPS, Sales, ROE, Margins ≥ 20%
  • Relative Strength
    RS Rating ≥ 85
  • RSNHBP Signal
    RS new highs before price
  • Institutional Discovery
    Rising fund ownership

EXECUTE

  • Buy at Proper Pivots
    No more than 5% extended
  • Demand Volume
    40%+ above 50-day avg
  • Never Below 50-DMA
    Institutional support required
  • Confirm Market Direction
    Follow-through day validated

MANAGE

  • 3-5-7 Risk Rule
    3% risk, 5% exposure, 7% target
  • Cut Losses at 3–5%
    No exceptions, no hope
  • Hold Winners
    Through 50-DMA tests
  • Sell on Climax Tops
    Exhaustion gaps, key reversals

Educational Reference — Not Investment Advice

Sources: The Roppel Report · FinNotes · GrowthStockMentor

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