Uptrend Under Pressure 100
Institutional selling is building — 7 distribution days in the last 25 sessions. Severe risk · 100/100 · 7 distribution days (SPY) Oct 26 Full briefing →
View
Simple research view

PFG · Principal Financial Group Inc

$110.13 +1.44% Oct 26 close
Detected setup Basing · Setup Score 84/100

Stand aside — setup invalidated

Setup score 84, but distribution days reach 5 or more — stand aside until the condition resets.

2 independent risk warnings also present. Review before relying on the bullish setup.

Ask about PFG

Switch to Advanced for indicator panels, raw grades, provenance, drawing tools, and full technical tables.

$PFG

Principal Financial Group Inc

Principal Financial Group Inc is a large-cap Investment Managers company in the Finance sector with a market cap of $25B.

Finance Investment Managers stock Stage 2 · Advancing Base 2
$110.13 latest close
Market Structure
Trend structure: range
Latest event: bos (bearish)
Support 91.58–92.10 · 3 touches · moderate
Support 85.76–86.05 · 3 touches · moderate
Resistance 113.20–113.86 · 3 touches · moderate
Support 106.07–106.28 · 3 touches · moderate
Join to Watchlist $PFG Share card
Historical record

No active setup in the latest scan — this page shows the last detection Legend AI made for $PFG. Every level, score and criterion below is computed from the Oct 26 close session (latest session), and may no longer hold.

Historical verdict · setup score 84/100 · data Oct 26 close · latest session

Stand aside — setup invalidated

Setup score 84, but distribution days reach 5 or more — stand aside until the condition resets.

Review six verdicts Inspect chart
Recent price action · daily
$110$120AugSepOct$110

What would change this verdict

What needs to turn for this to become buyable — the top failing checks across the legend council:

  • Minervini 1.5 Price > 50-day MA — Price $110.13 vs MA50 $112.13
  • Minervini 2. Quarterly EPS growth ≥ 25% — +20.8% QoQ
  • O'Neil C: Quarterly EPS acceleration ≥ 25% — +20.8% QoQ
  • O'Neil L: RS rank ≥ 80 (IBD leadership) — RS rank 79
  • Weinstein Volume expansion above average — Volume ratio 1.05x
  • Weinstein Weekly price coiling (Stage 2 consolidation) — Tightening weekly range confirms base
Minority view — the council disagrees here
  • Minervini: avoid Trend-template read: fails Price > 50-day MA.
  • O'Neil: avoid CANSLIM read: fails C: Quarterly EPS acceleration ≥ 25%.
  • Weinstein: watch Stage-analysis read: Stage 2 is present; 2 supporting checks need improvement.
68 Strong
Legend Score · rates the stock Strong (68/100) — held back by eps growth

Our proprietary 0-100 rating — the answer to Wall Street's black-box scores. Five pillars, each computed from real scan data, each explained below in plain English.

  • Relative Strength (25%) 80
  • Trend Template (25%) 100
  • Institutional Footprint (20%) 60
  • EPS Growth (15%) 30
  • Quality (SMR-like) (15%) 44

RS rank 79: above-average strength. Trend template 8/8: price above rising 50/150/200-day lines — textbook uptrend structure. Institutional score 60: mild accumulation. EPS up +0% — growing, but below the 25% leadership bar. Quality 44: weak fundamentals (sales growth 30, return on equity 40, leverage 100). Updated 2026-09-30.

Earnings

Post-earnings setup

Next earnings Monday, October 26, 2026 After market close Exact clock time not supplied by source

Deterministic evidence

Reported EPS 2.22 vs estimate 2.4361 · surprise -8.9%

PFG+1.44%
Sector proxy · XLF+0.21%
Broad market · SPY+0.71%
Same completed session window ending 2026-10-26. PFG was +1.23 points vs XLF. +0.73 points vs SPY.
CatalystNegative Stock reactionPositive Sector reactionWeak Opening surge— Event riskEarnings-driven

Session internals Mixed

Rule: direction and internals disagree — it met neither the strong nor the weak rule. Judged on internals, not on the size of the move.

Vs prior close+1.44% From the open+1.20% Range position60% GapNo gap
QQQ confirmationConfirming (+1.11%) SMH confirmationConfirming (+2.74%)
Price bars, sourced event fields, and benchmark math only. This can adjust displayed short-term conviction; it does not change the stored scanner score or readiness.

Ask a Legend to interpret this evidence → Commentary only — never scanner evidence or a sizing recommendation.

Price $110.13 +1.4% Oct 26 close
52W High $121.18 9.1% below high
Wks Since High 7w
Base Depth 12.5%
RS Rank 55 percentile of scan
SMA 50 $112.13
Avg Vol 1,265,550
Rel Vol (Oct 26) 1.05× 0.80× on up days
More stats
52W Low $79.45
Tight Wks 1
Base B2
SMA 200 $103.13
RS Line vs High -4.6%
RS Line Slope +3.9% ▲
Group Rank #60/66
ADR% 1.9%
ATR(14) $2.18 (2.0%)
Vol Pace (live) N/A
A/D Days 11A / 14D
A/D Rating E
VDU Bars 0/10 d
Earnings past
Position in 52-week range 74thpercentile of the 52-week range
$79.45low
$121.18high

PFG Chart

Interactive price, volume, RS, RSI, and MACD charts are available after sign in.

Create a free account to load the full interactive chart for PFG.

Create Free Account

Technical Analysis Report Card

$PFG · $110.13 · as of 2026-10-26 · multi-factor read
63
/ 100
Technicals 63/100
Reference read from price & volume only — the verdict at the top of the page decides the action.

Trend · Daily / Weekly / Monthly

Daily ▬ Sideways / consolidating
Weekly ▬ Sideways / consolidating
Monthly ▬ Sideways / consolidating

Moving Averages

50-day$112.13 ↓
100-day$111.61 ↓
200-day$103.13 ↑
Bullish (50 > 200)

RSI (14)

Reading49.4 · Neutral

Neutral — momentum is balanced between buyers and sellers.

MACD (12/26/9)

StateImproving
Histogram+0.249

Improving — MACD crossed above its signal line but still below zero. Histogram expanding.

Bollinger Bands (20,2)

%B / Width59% · 7.1%

Mid-band — no directional band edge in play.

Volume · Buyer vs Seller

Up/Down vol0.8 · Neutral
Rel volume1.05×
Pocket pivots · 10d1
5d vs 50d vol96%
Heavy vol up / down0 / 0

Balanced — up/down volume is roughly even; no clear hand. Recent volume is easing versus its baseline.

  • Pocket pivot today — up-day volume beat every down day of the prior 10 sessions.

Support & Resistance

R · $110.47swing level
R · $112.45swing level
R · $115.98swing level
Price · $110.13now
S · $108.65swing level
S · $106.17swing level
S · $104.66swing level

Fibonacci · Uptrend swing

23.6%$115.85
38.2%$112.55
50.0% ◄ price here$109.89
61.8%$107.22
78.6%$103.42

Retracement support zones measured from the recent swing low up to the high.

The verdict is free. The trade plan is Pro.
Unlock the exact entry, stop-loss, profit target, and reward-to-risk for PFG — plus the full 500+ symbol scanner and Ask-the-Legends chat.
Start your 7-day free trial →
Above 200-day MA50/200 bullish
Want this read in a legend's voice? Ask a Legend about PFG
Generic technical analysis generated mechanically from price & volume — educational research only, not financial advice or a personalized recommendation. Levels are illustrative; confirm on your own chart. New to these terms? →
Legend Verdicts 6 methodology checks

Who would consider this setup, why it qualifies, and what blocks it — calculated from the same deterministic methodology rules used across Legend AI.
How to read the numbers: the setup score (84/100, in the verdict band) rates this trade setup. Each legend's A–D grade rates the same setup against that legend's own checklist — so a high score next to a C grade is not a contradiction. The setup can be strong without fitting that legend's style. When the council disagrees, the verdict band breaks the tie.

Council consensus: 6 of 9 legends are Watching — building, not yet a confirmed buy.
Minervini Avoid C Trend-template read: fails Price > 50-day MA.
Passing evidence
1.1 Price > 150-day MA AND 200-day MAPrice $110.13, MA150 $106.90, MA200 $103.13
1.2 150-day MA > 200-day MAMA150 $106.90 vs MA200 $103.13
Failing evidence
1.5 Price > 50-day MAPrice $110.13 vs MA50 $112.13
2. Quarterly EPS growth ≥ 25%+20.8% QoQ
8/13 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
O'Neil Avoid D CANSLIM read: fails C: Quarterly EPS acceleration ≥ 25%.

partialRule check says AVOID (2/8 checks passed) — CANSLIM read: fails C: Quarterly EPS acceleration ≥ 25%.

Passing evidence
N: Near 52-week high or RS line new high9.1% below high | RS line new high: False
S: Base tightness (ATR% ≤ 4.5%)ATR% 1.98%
Failing evidence
C: Quarterly EPS acceleration ≥ 25%+20.8% QoQ
L: RS rank ≥ 80 (IBD leadership)RS rank 79
2/8 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
Weinstein Watch C Stage-analysis read: Stage 2 is present; 2 supporting checks need improvement.

mediumClassic Stage 2 advancing phase — strong weekly trend confirms uptrend. This is Weinstein's sweet spot: buy and hold while price remains above the 30-week MA.

Passing evidence
Stage 2 (Advancing phase) confirmedStage 2 (Advancing)
Price above 30-week MA (200-day proxy)Price $110.13 vs MA200 $103.13
Failing evidence
Volume expansion above averageVolume ratio 1.05x
Weekly price coiling (Stage 2 consolidation)Tightening weekly range confirms base
5/7 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
dennis Watch C Turtle read: no Donchian signal. The system stays flat until price takes out the 20-day high.
Passing evidence
No breakdown below the 20-day channel20-day low $106.07
Volatility-unit sizing (1N ≈ 1% of equity)1N = $2.31 (2.09% of price); the Turtles size 1 unit so a 1N move ≈ 1% of equity, making the 2N stop ≈ 2% equity risk
Failing evidence
S1: 20-day Donchian breakoutNot confirmed
S2: 55-day Donchian breakoutNot confirmed
5/8 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
zanger Avoid C Zanger read: a hard gate is broken — either the pattern is not one of his six, or the entry is more than 5% past the breakout. He would not touch this.
Passing evidence
Not extended (≤5% above the breakout point)Measured as passing
Partial-profit plan: sell 20-30% at +15-20%Scale 20-30% at $126.65-$132.16; trail the rest
Failing evidence
Named Zanger pattern onlyBasing is not one of Zanger's six
Breakout volume 1.5-2.0x averageNot confirmed
4/6 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
zweig Watch B Zweig read: part of his screen passes but not all: Insider buying — wait for the full growth screen before treating this as a Zweig setup.
Passing evidence
EPS growth above the market (≥15% QoQ)+20.8% QoQ — Zweig wants growth above the S&P average
Reasonable price for the growth (P/E ≤ 35)Trailing P/E 15.8x — no PEG or forward P/E stored
Failing evidence
Insider buyingNo insider buying flagged
Monetary conditions: don't fight the FedFed series stored but too thin to read direction
5/8 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
Livermore Watch B Pivotal-point read: constructive evidence is present, but volume vs average is unresolved.
Passing evidence
Price$110.13
Relative strengthRS 79
Failing evidence
Volume vs average1.05x
Pivotal point cleared on expanding volumeNot confirmed
4/6 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
Darvas Watch B Box-theory read: constructive evidence is present, but volume vs average is unresolved.

mediumBuilding the top of the box (6.0% from 52W high) — watch for a box breakout with volume expansion.

Passing evidence
Price$110.13
Relative strengthRS 79
Failing evidence
Volume vs average1.05x
Box top broken on heavy volumeNot confirmed
4/6 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
Wyckoff Watch B Supply-and-demand read: constructive evidence is present, but volume vs average is unresolved.
Passing evidence
Price$110.13
Relative strengthRS 79
Failing evidence
Volume vs average1.05x
Sign of Strength confirmed on expanding volumePrice hasn't cleared the pivot yet — confirmation pending
4/6 checks
Method → Playbook → Ask →
Base & Breakout
Breakout follow-through

No active breakout tracked — Legend AI monitors daily for pivot-point breaks. What's a breakout?

Unlock Base & Breakout Tracking
RS Line vs SPY 52-week relative strength · blue = RS line · dashed = MA50 · dot = NH ▲ Rising
124RS Line (52W)
Accumulation / Distribution last 65 sessions · green = acc on high vol · red = dist on high vol Net +3 E
A: 15 D: 12 Net: +365 sessions
Minervini · Grade Card
Fundamentals & leadership quality — Minervini’s published criteria · 2/7 met
C 2/7 criteria
Separate score from the Minervini Trend Template (7/8): the Trend Template grades the price structure, this grades the company & leadership (earnings, sales, margins, RS rank). A stock can ride a clean trend while its fundamentals lag, so the two often differ by design — they are not the same checklist.
✗ EPS acceleration ≥25% QoQ +21%
✗ Revenue growth ≥20% YoY +3%
✗ Gross margin ≥30% —
✗ ROE ≥17% 13%
✗ RS rating ≥80 (leadership) 79
✓ Stage 2 uptrend (Weinstein) Stage 2
✓ Within 25% of 52W high -9.1%

Method Playbook

Trade it like Darvas EXACT LEVELS · PRO
Darvas B · Watch — The deterministic methodology check is Watch; wait for the failing or incomplete criteria to improve before the trigger can qualify.
Pivot
Pro level
Published-method rule: Use the top of the active Darvas box near the high as the mechanical breakout boundary.
Evidence: Canonical setup geometry is available with Pro.
Entry trigger
Pro level
Published-method rule: Require price to clear the box top with volume confirmation; movement inside the box remains observation, not a trigger.
Evidence: Canonical setup geometry is available with Pro.
Initial stop
Pro level
Published-method rule: Start below the active box support or the canonical structural stop that proves the breakout failed.
Evidence: Canonical setup geometry is available with Pro.
Trail
Rule-based
Published-method rule: As higher boxes form, raise the stop beneath the newest confirmed box floor; the stop moves up only.
Evidence: Planned management rule; no stored stop or broker order is changed automatically.
Exit / invalidation
Pro level
Published-method rule: Exit when price breaks the active box floor or decisively falls back through the breakout structure.
Evidence: Canonical setup geometry is available with Pro.
Deterministic educational plan, not a recommendation. No order or stop is changed automatically. Method and sources →

Forming Patterns (predictive — not confirmed)

Head & Shoulders bearish near confirmation
90% built

Possible head & shoulders top — not confirmed. Watch for a daily close below ~108.65 (neckline) to confirm, with measured-move risk toward ~96.12. A push back above 119.06 weakens the pattern; reclaiming 121.18 invalidates it.

Confirms below 108.65
Invalidates at 121.18
Left Shoulder 116.61
Head 121.18
Right Shoulder 119.06
Neckline 108.65
Target 96.12

LS 116.61 / head 121.18 / RS 119.06, neckline ~108.65, vol_fading=yes

Predictive pattern recognition is educational — most forming structures never confirm. Wait for the confirmation level before treating this as a setup.

Pattern Analysis (historical)

Basing
84 setup score
RS Score 79
Trend template 7/8
CANSLIM 76.7* (B)
base type: Flat Base depth: 0.123 duration weeks: 12.0 tightness: 0.0208 near pivot: ✓ base volume ratio: 0.909 validation reason: valid basing setup multi tf evaluated: ✓ multi tf reason: weekly trend template 8/8 confirmed + no fresh 13-week low
Why This Setup?
Basing · schematic

Flat Base: depth=12.3%, 12w, tightness=0.021, near_pivot=yes | Strong trend (8/8) | Good RS (79) | Moderate pattern (65%) | Stage 2 | Readiness 70/100 (watch) | CANSLIM 76.7 (B)

Ask a Legend ▾
The Universal Edge Check · context only

What the setup still has going for it, recorded for later. The verdict above stands — these principles do not overrule it.

4/7 universals met
  • A relative-strength leader — not met RS rank 55 — laggard
  • Clear of earnings — not met in -1 days — event risk
  • Volume confirms — partly met 0.8× average — light
  • Asymmetric reward — met Met — levels are a Pro detail
  • In a confirmed uptrend — met Stage 2 · Trend template 7/8
  • Not chasing (in range) — met Met — levels are a Pro detail
  • Risk is defined — met Met — levels are a Pro detail
Why these seven? → The Universal Edge

Minervini Trend Template

7/8

Grades the price structure — moving-average stacking, distance from the 52-week high/low, and relative strength above the ≥70 uptrend bar. This is the technical trend check; the company's fundamentals and ≥80 RS leadership are scored separately in the Grade Card.

Price above SMA 150 & 200 $110.13 vs SMA150 $106.90 / SMA200 $103.13
SMA 150 above SMA 200 SMA150 $106.90 vs SMA200 $103.13
SMA 200 trending up Slope +1.96 over 20 days
SMA 50 above SMA 150 & 200 SMA50 $112.13
Price above SMA 50 $110.13 vs SMA50 $112.13
30%+ above 52-week low +38.6% from $79.45
Within 25% of 52-week high -9.1% from $121.18
RS score above 70 RS 79

Fundamentals

52W Range
74%
Mkt Cap SEC
24.6B
EPS QoQ
+21%
Rev YoY
+3%
ROE
13%
D/E
0.34
EPS TTM
$7.05
P/E TTM
15.6x
Float
216M
Insider
No Buy

Company

Company profile
Principal Financial Group Inc
PFG · NASDAQ · Finance · Investment Managers
Track all markets on TradingView
O'Neil · Grade Card
CANSLIM — current EPS, annual EPS, new highs, supply, leader RS, inst. sponsorship, market
B 76.7* CANSLIM * disqualified on C, M
C · Curr. EPS
86
A · Annual EPS
66
N · New Highs
100
S · Supply/Demand
80
L · Leader RS
79
I · Inst. Spons.
100
M · Market
30

Weekly Context

Multi-timeframe signals from weekly bars
W. Trend
8/8
W. RS
74
W. Support
$87.21
W. Resist
$121.18
Weekly Structure

Scan History

Sep 25: 81 (Wyckoff SOS)Sep 28: 89 (Wyckoff SOS)Sep 28: 91 (Wyckoff SOS)Sep 30: 88 (Wyckoff SOS)Sep 29: 90 (Wyckoff SOS)Sep 30: 84 (Basing)84
Sep 30
Basing ✓ Gate
84
Sep 29
Wyckoff SOS ✓ Gate
90 -3.4%
Sep 30
Wyckoff SOS ✓ Gate
88 -1.6%
Sep 28
Wyckoff SOS ✓ Gate
91 -3.9%
Sep 28
Wyckoff SOS ✓ Gate
89 -3.9%
Sep 25
Wyckoff SOS ✓ Gate
81 -4.0%

Latest News

Headlines for PFG
Loading headlines…

Get the full picture on PFG

Pro members see entry/stop/target levels, R:R ratios, intraday alerts, and every setup detected across 500+ symbols daily.

Start 7-Day Free Trial