Service Corporation International (SCI)
Company
"Service Corporation International is North America's most trusted provider of end-of-life arrangements and services. Based in Houston, Texas, we operate more than 1,500 funeral homes and 400 cemeteries." (company website)
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SCI 4-month chart
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SCI 1-year chart
Buy
3 December 2009. There's no more sure thing than death. In recent parlance, this would be a "death stock."
A big earnings surprise gave SCI a big boost that has consolidated just below $7.75 (technical resistance). The Bollinger bands are narrowing, so a breakout is likely (so is a breakdown for that matter). In any case, I'm looking for a price movement, and I'm betting it will be upwards.
- Percentage price oscillator (PPO) — touched up with the signal line
- Volume — most high-volume days since earnings have been up-days
Based on technical analysis, MarketEdge calls SCI a "strong buy" in a "weak upward trend."
Sell

0%
9 December 2009. It doesn't look like the breakout I expected is going to materialize. The PPO line has started to converge back onto the signal line. Rather than wait it out, I bailed for a break-even after trading expenses.