Best momentum stock screener settings compared
Momentum screens buy strength: moving-average crosses and stacks, relative strength against SPY, overbought RSI and big up days.
Test: 518 S&P 500 + Nasdaq-100 stocks, 2021-10-13 to 2026-10-12, each signal held 5 trading days. Hit rate = share of signals that closed higher 5 days later.
Ranked by 5-day hit rate
| # | Screen | Hit rate | Avg 5d | SPY 5d | Max DD | Signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Cross Momentum | 55.6% | +0.60% | +0.43% | -21.3% | 2,006 |
| 2 | EMA Stack Trend Momentum | 52.3% | +0.20% | +0.21% | -24.1% | 21,332 |
| 3 | 3-Month Momentum Leaders Momentum | 51.9% | +0.41% | +0.23% | -30.0% | 59,212 |
| 4 | Golden Cross Momentum | 51.9% | +0.22% | +0.23% | -29.0% | 1,932 |
| 5 | RSI(14) Overbought Momentum | 51.8% | +0.22% | +0.07% | -37.6% | 44,280 |
| 6 | Relative Strength vs SPY Momentum | 51.3% | +0.33% | +0.18% | -30.6% | 24,211 |
| 7 | MACD Bullish Cross Above Zero Momentum | 50.5% | +0.04% | +0.17% | -26.2% | 10,554 |
| 8 | Big Up Day (+5%) Momentum | 50.5% | +0.39% | +0.19% | -46.0% | 11,615 |
What to know
Momentum screens fire often and stay in the market most of the time, so compare them against SPY's move on the same days, not just against zero.
50 SMA crosses below 200 SMA.
EMA 20 > 50 > 200 with price above 20 EMA, first day of alignment.
Top decile 63-day return, above 50 SMA.
50 SMA crosses above 200 SMA.
RSI(14) over 70 — tests whether strength persists.
Stock 20-day return beats SPY by 10+ pts and closes at a 20-day high.
Copy-paste rules for every screen above, plus Daily Fire Picks: 1-3 highest-confidence setups emailed before the open. Educational, not advice.
FAQ
What are the best momentum stock screener?
In our 2021–2026 backtest, Death Cross had the highest 5-day hit rate of this group at 55.6% over 2,006 signals. "Best" depends on your holding period and risk tolerance; compare drawdowns too.
Where are the exact settings?
The exact backtested thresholds and copy-paste TradingView, Finviz and ThinkorSwim versions are part of SetupHits Pro ($39/mo), delivered by email. The rankings and stats on this page are free.
Are these results realistic?
They are simulated on daily bars with no fees or slippage, on today's index members (survivorship bias). Treat them as a relative comparison, not a forecast.
More guides
Simulated results; no fees, slippage or taxes; survivorship-biased universe. Not financial advice. Methodology.