Swing Trading Plan
Holding Period
3-8 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
VRTS has formed a rounding bottom pattern as of June 8, 2026, trading at $146.57. The pattern exhibits solid structure (13.0/15) and strong breakout potential (13.0/13), though volume metrics are moderate at 9.0/12 with relative volume at 0.9x average. Key support sits at $119.63 while resistance lies at $185.89. The overall score of 70.0/98 and 64.72% win probability reflect a credible setup in a bullish market regime (0.9 score) and bullish sector context (0.69). RSI at 55.81 indicates neutral momentum with room to extend higher. The pattern targets a conservative move to $152.92 on breakout confirmation.
Stock Context
Virtus reported Q1 2026 earnings with diluted EPS of $1.05 and adjusted EPS of $5.38 on May 1, 2026. As of April 30, 2026, AUM reached $154.8 billion with total client assets of $156.5 billion, up from $149.0 billion at March 31. However, recent analyst activity weighs on sentiment. Morgan Stanley lowered its price target from $128 to $112 on May 19, 2026, assigning an "underweight" rating, while Barclays cut its target from $128 to $125 with an "underweight" rating. Piper Sandler reduced its target from $181 to $170 but maintained "overweight". This mixed analyst backdrop, combined with recent net outflows in Q1, suggests the rounding bottom is forming amid market digestion of earnings and valuation pressures.
What to Expect
A successful breakout above the $185.89 resistance level would confirm the rounding bottom and target $152.92 conservatively, with potential for extensions toward key resistance if momentum accelerates. The pattern suggests price is consolidating after the 11.12% three-month rally and needs volume confirmation—current volume at 95,050 shares is tracking 0.9x average, so a breakout would ideally see volume spike above 106,000 to validate institutional accumulation. The setup invalidates below support at $119.63, which would negate the bullish structure. With a 64.72% historical win probability, the risk/reward profile supports a measured approach to breakout confirmation.
Risk Factors
Morgan Stanley's recent downgrade to "underweight" with a $112 price target—well below current levels—represents significant downside risk and analyst conviction in weakness. The company faced net outflows in retail and institutional accounts in Q1, a structural headwind for asset managers. Beta at 1.32 indicates elevated volatility relative to the market; any broad market correction would amplify downside pressure. Volume is presently 10% below 20-day average, suggesting conviction is lacking near current levels. With volatility at 41.43% (20-day) and the stock still 27.84% below its 52-week high, any disappointment on flows or market weakness could quickly invalidate the pattern at the $119.63 support level.
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 VRTS a good swing trade?
VRTS scored 70 out of 98 on our rounding bottom scan, with a 65% historical win probability over a 3-8 trading days hold. Good setup based on our systematic scoring.
What is the entry, target, and stop loss for this setup?
The setup's reference price is $146.57, with a conservative target of $152.92 and a stop loss at $140.52.
What would invalidate this rounding bottom setup?
A close below the stop loss at $140.52 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 rounding bottom 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.