Platform Features Release: July 2023
Announcing the latest Release of feature and functionality enhancements to the trading platform with the goal of improving the investment/trading decision process. These two areas of the platform have undergone a major redesign and expansion of metrics.
Key Ratio Tab(formerly Valuation)- Reworked and expanded data points offered as well as provided context of how well a stock is performing compared to its Industry and the S&P.
Fundamental Tab – Improved display of the expanded data available offer the ability to view fundamental metrics by Quarter, Year or Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) with the ability to adjust the time period and data display views.
Register for Office Hours, Wednesday, July 12th
Join us for a special Office Hours session, Wednesday, July 12th at 4:15 Eastern (15 minutes after Market Close)
Rance will be showcasing the Key Ratio and Fundamental tab data – how to read, understand and utilize the metrics provided.
Register using the button below. A confirmation email will be sent with a link to join for the scheduled time.
Key Ratio Tab
Key Ratio analysis is just one approach to evaluating stocks, and it should be complemented with other forms of analysis, such as technical analysis and market sentiment, for a well-rounded investment decision.
Key ratio indicators provide valuable information about a company’s financial health, profitability, growth prospects, operational efficiency, and overall value enabling traders to make more informed decisions:
Valuation: Helps determine whether a stock is priced attractively in relation to its earnings, sales, or book value.
Profitability: Signifies a company’s ability to generate returns for its shareholders.
Financial Strength: Assesses the ability to meet financial obligations and weather economic downturns.
Growth: Analyzes potential for expansion and increased earnings over time.
Efficiency: Measures how effectively a company utilizes its resources to generate output.
Cash Flow: Provides insights into the company’s ability to generate and manage cash.
Fundamental Tab
Fundamental Analysis involves a comprehensive examination of a stock’s financial health and its underlying value, as well as other relevant financial and non-financial metrics, to form an overall view of a company’s financial health and value.
This information is displayed in charts and graphs making it more useful in the analysis process.
It’s important to note that fundamental analysis is just one approach to evaluating stocks, and it should be complemented with other forms of analysis, such as technical analysis and market sentiment, for a well-rounded investment decision.
Enhancements
Price has been added to the Volatility Chart on the Option Chain display. Slide your cursor along the chart to display the Date, Price, HV & IV
Dollar and Percentage Move added to Line Settings:
Timeframe displayed on chart when not on “Favorite”:
Font Size Selector for Price Chart
Vega added to Strategy Templates. Click the ‘expand’ icon, if needed:
Change Log
- Linear Regression Channel period number updating
- Roll-out time icon synced with Risk Graph
- Added “No or Limited Dividend Information” message
- Corrected Backtest Net Debit/Net Credit responsiveness
- Reset button function restored on Projected Price
Fundamentals Tab
Fundamentals
Fundamentals provide valuable insights into the financial health and performance of a company. They offer a comprehensive analysis of the company’s operations, profitability, growth potential, and overall stability.
Fundamentals are comprised of Earnings, Dividends, Price Projections, Profitability, Growth, and Cash Flow.
Profitability, Growth, and Cash Flow offer even more detail. Either click the button in that section:
OR click the appropriate category at the top of the window:
Earnings data provide insight into a company’s financial health and performance.
Past earnings reports offer insight into the company’s historical growth, profitability, and stability. Positive earnings trends may indicate a well-performing company. Negative or declining earnings could be cause for concern.
Earnings
Earnings projections provide forecasts of a company’s future earnings to gauge Market sentiment and investor expectations. Projections are compiled by financial analysts using factors such as industry trends, company guidance, and economic conditions. Surpassing or falling short of projections can greatly impact stock price.
Some benefits to both the company and shareholders include:
Income Generation
Shareholder Loyalty
Return on Investment
Dividend Reinvestment
Signal of Financial Health
Possible Tax Advantages
Disciplined Capital Allocation
Dividends
The decision to pay dividends is up to the company’s management and board of directors, who weigh various factors, including the company’s financial position, growth prospects, and other capital allocation priorities. Dividend payouts are not guaranteed and may fluctuate or be suspended based on the company’s circumstances and strategic considerations.
Price Projection
Discount Rate
Determining the appropriate discount rate for a stock is a subjective process and depends on various factors.
Here is an example:
- Risk-Free Rate: Start by considering the risk-free rate, (the theoretical rate of return on a risk-free investment such as government bonds). This serves as a baseline for the discount rate. An online search can locate this information for you.
- Risk Premium: Assess the risk associated with the specific stock you are evaluating. Stocks are inherently riskier than risk-free investments, so you need to add a risk premium to the risk-free rate. The risk premium accounts for the additional return expected by investors for taking on the extra risk. The risk premium can vary depending on factors such as industry, company-specific risks, economic conditions, and market volatility.
- Beta: This measures its sensitivity to market movements.
Beta of 1 = the stock moves in line with the overall market
Beta > 1 = the stock has higher volatility and would warrant a higher discount rate to reflect the increased risk. - Company-Specific Factors: Are there unique company factors (financial health, competitive position, growth prospects, management quality, etc) that could positively or negatively influence the discount rate?
- Sensitivity Analysis: Changing the discount allows you to assess the impact of the stock’s valuation. Some sectors are subject to more volatility than others: the Energy and Material Sectors tend to be more volatile than Consumer Staples or Utility Sectors.
The discount rate is subjective. Different investors might have different views on what the appropriate discount rate is for a given stock, based on their own risk tolerance, the specific risks associated with the company, and their expectations for future market conditions.
Profitability
Revenue: Money generated from sales of goods or services. It is income earned prior to deducting expenses or costs
Cost of Revenue: Expenses directly related to production, manufacturing, or acquisition of products/services sold. Typical examples include raw materials, labor, overhead, etc.
Operating Expenses: Day-to-day, necessary operating expenses not directly related to the production/acquisition of goods/services. Examples: Wages, utilities, depreciation, advertising, etc.
Other Expenses: Depending on the nature of the business can include: Taxes, Interest, Non-operating losses, Restructuring, Non-recurring, etc.
Revenue Growth Rate: Percentage change (+/-) in a company’s sales/revenue over a period of time:
Revenue Current–Revenue Previous/Revenue Previous x 100
Net Profit Growth Rate: Percentage change (+/-) in a company’s net profit over a specific period of time:
Net Profit Current–Net Profit Previous/Net Profit Previous x 100
Profit Margin: Percentage of revenue a company retains after deducting all expenses.
A higher profit margin indicates a company is generating more profit relative to its revenue. A lower percentage suggests higher expenses in proportion to revenue.
Growth
Asset: These can vary by industry/company. Common examples that contribute to a company’s growth are Financial, Intellectual Property, Human Capital, Physical Assets, Technology/Info Systems, Customer Base, Brand Equity, Partnerships, and Networks.
Debt/Equity Ratio: Total Debt divided by Total Equity. Interpretation varies by industry and a company’s specific circumstances: a high ratio can indicate higher financial risk OR effective management of debt through cash flow. A low ratio can indicate a conservative financial position OR under-utilization of debt and missed opportunities for growth.
Non-Current Assets: Resources not intended to be converted into cash or used up within a year.
Assets: Anything of value that has the potential to generate future economic benefits.
Liabilities: Obligation or debt a company owes to external parties that must be fulfilled in the near future.
Long-term Liabilities: Obligation or debt a company owes but has more than a year to repay.
Equity: The portion of a company’s value belonging to its owners or shareholders after all debts and obligations have been settled
Operating Cash Flow: Represents the cash inflow/outflow directly related to day-to-day activities including sales of goods and services, paying operating expenses, and collection of receivables.
Free Cash Flow: Cash flow available for discretionary use after accounting for operating expenses, capital expenditures, and changes in working capital. Positive values offer opportunities, negative values may indicate financial challenges.
Cash Flow
Cash Margin %: Percentage of cash generated from a company’s sales revenue after deducting its cash operating expenses. It measures the profitability and efficiency of a company’s operations to generate cash.
Cash Indicator: The industry percentile ranking of a company’s ability to generate cash from its operations.
Price Change Indicator
Green and Red Arrows have been added to each symbol tab when in Research.
This applies to any selected Watchlist or the default “Recents” list.
Each time one symbol is clicked, the entire list will update the latest price update.
Platform Features Release: April 2023
Announcing the latest feature(s)/function(s) updates, additions, or edits to the trading platform:
Cloning and Editing Trendlines
New Trendline Customization
Clone trendlines with the push of a button. Easily define or edit trendline endpoints.
Click on an existing trendline to display the Annotation Settings box, make your changes, then click “Save”.
Enhancements
- Reusing canceled GTC Order preserves Duration
Change Log
- Repaired contrast on Find>Scans>Filter table
- Chart crosshair behavior resolved
- Pivot Point indicator editing restored
- Removed duplicate Inner Circle>Insider Information
- Platform Notification>“Don’t show again” fixed
- Backtest>Analyze Date selection repaired
- Corrected date display above chart
- Seasonality Chart behavior corrected
- Screener functionality repaired on several items
- Hide function on Option functionality restored
- Russell 2000 restored on Find>HeatMap
- Backend fixes on previous releases
- Net Debit/Credit responsiveness restored on Manual Accounts
Platform Features Release: March 2023
Announcing the latest features/functions updates, additions, or edits to the trading platform:
Valuation and Fundamental Data Points added
Users have more criteria to select from for both the Screener, to find potential trade candidates, and Watchlist Views to analyze candidates.
Valuation and Fundamental Data Points Added
Watch List Views
Over 30 data points were added to the Valuation and Fundamental sections for Watch List Views.
Build, Save, and Edit your customized Watch List Views to your needs.
Learn how to use this feature:
Screener
Over 30 data points have been added to the Screener Function under the Valuation and Fundamental sections.
There are 3 Levels of Data Points. Level 2 has more Data Points than 1, Level 3 has all criteria available to select from.
Now users have more tools to choose customize screens. These may be saved and edited at any time.
Enhancements
- Added Average Volume line to (upper) Volume Indicator
- Saving Annotations/Texts, etc on charts are an automatic function. It no longer has to be selected.
- Scroll function added to lists on Custom, Market and Watch pages
- GAAP/non-GAAP PE/PEG (TPE and PE chart in Valuation section to reflect GAAP PE)
Change Log
- Resolved Screener Export Function
- Open/Close “save” function fixed in Backtest mode
- 2nd email saving in Notification feature setup
- Candlesticks and Volume bars line up
Platform Features Release: December 2022
Announcing the latest Release which added a powerful Lower Indicator on the Charts Tab: 52 Week Hi/Lo. Price/Date info has been added to X/Y axis
52-Week Hi/Low Indicator
The newest lower indicator: 52-week Hi/Low Indicator is a Broad Market Indicator. It is not Stock specific.
View how individual Stocks/ETFs are faring compared to the Broad Market.
Select from NYSE, NASD or AmEx
There are two views:
Show Difference Only – Display either a green or red (or no) bar representing the net advancers/decliners for that period.
Show High & Low (uncheck box)– Displays both green/red bars to illustrate number with new 52 week high/lows.
The background color identifies a bullish or bearish trend, based upon the number of days selected (Trend Period)
Example: If 3 days are selected, background highlight will begin on the 4th consecutive day of gains (or losses).
X/Y axis – Price/Date display
The cursor’s crosshairs will display the Price/Date info along the X/Y axis for easier reading.
This information will still appear in the upper/right corner above the chart:
Drawing Key Activation
Use your keypad to activate drawing lines on the Chart by following these steps:
1. Click either in Header area above the chart – OR –
Click the Annotation icon>Line
2. Click on chart, then “Alt” and “T” keys where you want to start line.
Once activated from either of the starting points (1), the function works on the current chart, without having to reactivate by clicking on the Header or Annotation icon.
Platform Features Release: November 2022
Announcing the latest Release allowing for customized Watchlist views. Improvements in Journal functionality will increase responsiveness and allow users to better control the data displayed. Format enhancements were also made to increase readability
Watchlist Views – Create, Save & Edit
The ability to create your own Watchlist views based on criteria important to you enhances the work flow of finding the best candidates for trading.
Click on next to the (Default) Watchlist, then select “Add New” to get started.
Build your own views from over 160 data points, then adjust the display position in the order you want them to appear.
Click on icon to edit a view you previously created.
Learn more by clicking below:
Improvements
The Journal default displays Order/Trade activity from the Activated Trade Account.
To switch or add accounts, simply click on the other Account tabs or select by group: Real, Virtual, Manual or All accounts.
The improved functionality allows for faster journal activity display and easier trade analysis.
Change Log
- Resolved Score Icon Navigation from Home/Market Tab
- Corrected Fundamental/Dividend missing data
- Moving Average indicator functionality restored on Custom Page
- Corrected display data on Fundamental Tab
- Addressed candlestick not appearing first 20 minutes on Mondays.
- Rectified downloading data from Screener
Customize Watchlist Views
Customize Watchlist Views
You have the ability to customize Watchlist Views – based upon criteria you want to see.
Click on the next to “Default” or current view you are on to create a different View.
If/When you want to edit any of your personal views, simply click the icon, remove/add criteria, adjust placement, then click “Save”.
From Assets to Z-Score, there are over 160 data points to select from including data from: Company Information, Technicals, Valuation, Fundamentals & Options.
Simply:
1. Name the View
2. Select Data Points
3. Arrange – clicking on arrows to move up/down
4. Save
Your Watchlists are now more powerful because they show the data you want to see to help you make your trade decisions.
The Result:
Note: The Symbol, Score Icons and Last Price are fixed
Research Your Watchlists
Research Watchlist Functionality
Users are able to access all Watchlists from the Research Tab.
Click the to access the dropdown list as shown in the graphic.
Lists with more than 20 symbols will have a scroll bar allowing for easier research of larger lists.
All other functionality remains the same: Symbols can be moved to other lists, have alerts set, deleted, add Journal notes
When a symbol is entered in the Symbol Search Box on the Research Tab, the symbol will automatically be displayed on the default “Recents” list.
In addition, when a symbol or group of symbols is sent to Research from anywhere else on the platform, it will appear on a list under the default “Recents” list.
Examples of when the “Recents” list will be displayed:
- Sending a symbol/symbols from a list on a Watch Tab.
- Selecting a group of symbols from a Scan or Screener list.
- Clicking on the Technical Icon from any symbol when not in the Research Tab. will be displayed under “Recents”.
The functionality of adding a note, an alert or sending a symbol to a specific list remains the same.
Platform Features Release: October 2022
Announcing the latest Release of feature and functionality enhancements to the trading platform. These features and enhancements help keep users informed with activity on their trades. Functionality has been added to review a Watchlist in the Research tab, while being able to see at a glance which symbols have a price increase or decrease.
Notifications – Receive emails on upcoming Earnings, Dividends or Expiring Positions
Watchlist Research Functionality – Access and view your Watch Lists in the Research Tab via a drop-down box
Price Action Arrows on Symbols in Research Tab – Instantly see latest price action while on the Research Tab
Trade Position Notifications – Premium Feature
Want to receive weekly emails of Expiring Positions, Upcoming Earnings and/or Dividends on existing trades you have in your accounts?
This Premium Feature allows you to do just that in a 2-part process:
First: Click on the the Envelope Icon at the top of the platform screen:
Go to “Notification Settings.”
Provide your email address(es).
Select Notifications you want to receive.
Click “Save”.
Next: On your Portfolio Accounts, go to the Account Summary Page and Toggle the switch to the On position.
Repeat this process for each Account you want emailed Notifications.
Expiration Notifications will be emailed 2 days in advance.
Each Monday, prior to Market Open, an email will be sent where there’s an Earnings or Dividend for any of the positions in the account(s) you have activated.
The Notification Center will list what has been emailed to you for each account you have activated.
The Account Name and associated Color Tag will be displayed on each Notification and allows for quick identification.
Each Monday, prior to Market Open, an email will be sent where there’s Earnings or Dividend for any of the positions in the account(s) you have activated.
The Notification Center will list what has been emailed to you for each account you have activated.
The Account Name and associated Color Tag will be displayed on each Notification and allows for quick identification.
Research Watchlist Functionality
Users are able to access all Watchlists from the Research Tab.
Click the to access the dropdown list as shown in the graphic.
Lists with more than 20 symbols will have a scroll bar allowing for easier research of larger lists.
All other functionality remains the same: Symbols can be moved to other lists, have alerts set, deleted, add Journal notes
When a symbol is entered in the Symbol Search Box on the Research Tab, the symbol will automatically be displayed on the default “Recents” list.
In addition, when a symbol or group of symbols is sent to Research from anywhere else on the platform, it will appear on a list under the default “Recents” list.
Examples of when the “Recents” list will be displayed:
- Sending a symbol/symbols from a list on a Watch Tab.
- Selecting a group of symbols from a Scan or Screener list.
- Clicking on the Technical Icon from any symbol when not in the Research Tab. will be displayed under “Recents”.
The functionality of adding a note, an alert or sending a symbol to a specific list remains the same.
Green and Red Arrows have been added to each symbol tab when in Research.
This applies to any selected Watchlist or the default “Recents” list.
Each time one symbol is clicked, the entire list will update the latest price update.
Change Log
- Upper Indicator responsiveness corrected
- Profitability info loads correctly on Fundamental Tab
- Completed Bear Put description on Strategy Template
- Corrected display data on Fundamental Tab