Swing Trading Plan
Holding Period
2-7 trading days
Expected figures are probability-weighted from our historical pattern database; Trade R:R is measured from the entry, target and stop levels.
Current Setup
QDEL is forming a post_collapse_recovery pattern near $16.58, positioned 67% above its 52-week low but still 53% below its 52-week high. The pattern exhibits moderate quality with a structure score of 14.66/15 but weaker breakout (10.85/13) and volume confirmation (9.95/12), yielding an overall pattern score of 69.46. A bullish pennant sub-pattern emerged June 22 with 28.0 quality score. Key resistance sits at $19.80; support at $11.84. Current volume (729k shares) is 45% of the 20-day average, signaling low participation. RSI at 52.23 indicates neutral momentum.
Stock Context
Point-of-Care revenue declined 34% in Q1 2026 due to a significantly weaker respiratory season compared to Q1 2025. U.S. influenza-like illness visits were down 30% year-over-year, and China distributor sales slowed due to proposed NHSA reimbursement rate reductions. However, QuidelOrtho completed acquisition of LEX Diagnostics in April, adding an ultra-fast molecular diagnostics platform for point-of-care testing. Key strategic initiatives include the U.S. launch of High-Sensitivity Troponin assay and VITROS 450 platform rollout in select international markets. The company appointed Micah Young as CFO effective July 6, 2026, bringing over two decades of financial leadership from Masimo Corporation. In late June 2026, QDEL was removed from multiple Russell growth indexes.
What to Expect
A successful breakout above $19.80 resistance would target $17.42 conservatively, with potential to test the 52-week high near $35.58 in a sustained recovery. The 68.66% win probability suggests historical pattern validity, though confirmation requires volume expansion significantly above the 1.63M 20-day average—current 729k volume is insufficient. Invalidation occurs on a close below the $11.84 support level. The pattern suggests a gradual recovery reflecting stabilization after Q1 disappointment and renewed confidence in innovation pipeline execution.
Risk Factors
Respiratory season weakness and China distributor headwinds remain near-term headwinds for point-of-care revenue. Jefferies downgraded the stock following disappointing Q1 2026 earnings. QuidelOrtho faces negative free cash flow and significant debt load. Volume is critically low at 45% of average, raising execution risk if breakout occurs on insufficient participation. Beta of 1.57 indicates elevated volatility relative to broad market. Broader market regime is bearish (regime score -0.29), though healthcare sector remains bullish (0.55), creating conflicting tailwinds. Macro sensitivity to respiratory illness seasonality and China regulatory risk remain unresolved.
How We Find and Score This Setup
We scan more than 6,000 NYSE and NASDAQ stocks every trading day and compare each detected pattern against a database of 370,000+ historical detections. Every setup is scored across three dimensions: Structure, Volume, and Breakout Readiness. Win probability is a calibrated estimate of how similar historical setups performed over the following 10 trading days. This is a swing trading tool built for multi-day holds. It is not built or tested for day trading.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is QDEL a good swing trade?
QDEL scored 69 out of 98 on our post collapse recovery scan, with a 69% historical win probability over a 2-7 trading days hold. Moderate setup based on our systematic scoring.
What is the entry, target, and stop loss for this setup?
The setup's reference price is $16.58, with a conservative target of $17.42 and a stop loss at $15.57.
What would invalidate this post collapse recovery setup?
A close below the stop loss at $15.57 would invalidate the setup and suggest the pattern has failed.
How is the win probability calculated?
Win probability is a calibrated estimate of how similar historical post collapse recovery setups performed over the following 10 trading days, drawn from a database of 370,000+ historical pattern detections across 6,000+ NYSE and NASDAQ stocks.
Market & Sector Regime
Market
Bearish
-0.29
-1.0
0
+1.0
Health Care Sector
Bullish
0.55
-1.0
0
+1.0
Other Patterns Detected Today
Bullish Pennant
19 days in pattern
Moderate
28.0