Investors seeking strong candidates often combine two proven approaches: Mark Minervini’s Trend Template for technical strength and a focus on high growth momentum (HGM) for accelerating fundamentals. The idea is to identify stocks that are not only trending upward with solid price action but also exhibit strong and improving earnings and revenue growth. By screening for stocks that satisfy both sets of criteria, the aim is to uncover companies with major tailwinds—where positive price trends are backed by real, measurable business expansion. This dual-filter method helps narrow the universe to names that may be better positioned for sustained outperformance.
Recent Performance and Technical Health
Atlantic Union Bankshares Co (NYSE:AUB) has been a standout performer over the past year, gaining roughly 41%. The stock currently trades at $37.91, putting it closer to the upper end of its 52-week range, though it still lags the broader S&P 500, which is near new highs. The short-term trend is neutral, while the long-term trend remains positive—a structure that often precedes further upside once consolidation resolves.
The stock's technical rating sits at a solid 7 out of 10, indicating strong overall technical health. With an average daily volume of over 1 million shares, liquidity is ample for both entry and exit. Recent days have seen a noticeable uptick in volume, which can sometimes signal renewed institutional interest.
Valuation Metrics
From a valuation standpoint, AUB trades at roughly 10.4 times trailing earnings (EPS TTM of $3.65), which is reasonable for a regional bank showing accelerated growth. The stock has climbed over 40% in the past year while earnings per share grew more than 35% over the same period—a combination that suggests the multiple has expanded in line with fundamental improvement. With free cash flow per share of $15.60 and explosive FCF growth of over 600%, the company is generating significant cash relative to its market price.
Why AUB Meets the Minervini Trend Template
For a stock to qualify under Minervini’s framework, it must pass a strict set of technical conditions. AUB clears all of them:
- Price above key moving averages: The stock is trading above its 50-day ($37.05), 150-day ($36.14), and 200-day ($35.54) simple moving averages, confirming an uptrend across multiple timeframes.
- Moving average alignment: The 50-day SMA is above both the 150-day and 200-day SMAs, and the 150-day is above the 200-day—all trending upward (except the 50-day, which is flat but still above the others). This alignment is a hallmark of a healthy Stage 2 uptrend.
- 52-week range: The current price is roughly 41% above its 52-week low of $26.86 (well above the 30% minimum) and within 10% of its 52-week high of $42.18 (comfortably within the 25% threshold).
- Relative strength: With a ChartMill Relative Strength score of 75.13, AUB outperforms three-quarters of all stocks. Minervini recommends an RS score above 70, with 80s or 90s being ideal. AUB is close to that upper tier.
These conditions matter because they ensure the stock is already in a confirmed uptrend with strong momentum—reducing the risk of catching a falling knife or entering during a weak base.
High Growth Momentum: The Fundamental Side
While technical strength points to a favorable price trend, the HGM screen ensures the company's underlying business is accelerating. AUB shows several high-growth characteristics:
- Earnings growth: EPS grew 35.2% over the past TTM year, with the most recent quarter showing 56.1% year-over-year growth. The prior quarter came in at 44.8%, indicating sequential acceleration.
- Revenue growth: Sales surged 68.1% over the past year, with the latest quarter up 74.2% from a year ago. Revenue beat analyst estimates in two of the last four quarters.
- Profit margins: The profit margin in the most recent quarter stood at 28.2%, up from 24% in the prior quarter and well above the 4.2% margin seen two quarters ago. This rapid margin expansion often signals operational leverage and pricing power.
- Upward revisions: Analysts have raised next-year EPS estimates by 2.6% over the last three months, and revenue estimates have been revised up by 0.6%.
Together, these metrics show a company with accelerating top and bottom lines, expanding margins, and improving analyst sentiment—exactly the kind of fundamental momentum that Minervini’s SEPA method targets.
Analyst Views
The fundamental data supports a generally constructive view. With two earnings beats in the last four quarters and a median surprise of roughly 6%, the company has consistently delivered above expectations. The upward revision trend further suggests that sell-side analysts see continued momentum. While no specific price targets are provided here, the combination of accelerating growth and a still-reasonable valuation often attracts institutional attention.
Technical Setup and Risk Management
Our technical report gives AUB a setup rating of 6 out of 10, indicating a decent consolidation pattern. The stock recently triggered a Pocket Pivot signal—a price/volume accumulation pattern where volume on up days exceeds the maximum down volume of the past ten sessions—which is a positive sign of institutional buying.
The suggested breakout trade would involve an entry above resistance near $38.79, with a stop loss at $37.04 (just below support). This represents a potential loss of 4.5% and would require allocating roughly 22% of total portfolio risk for a 1% account risk. As with all automated setups, it’s essential to confirm with your own analysis and check for upcoming earnings or news events.
Finding More Candidates
AUB passed our combined screen because it satisfies both the Minervini Trend Template and high growth momentum criteria. This screen is a strong starting point for investors looking for technically strong stocks with accelerating fundamentals. To see the latest list of stocks meeting these conditions, you can access the screen directly and explore more opportunities.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research before making trading decisions.