Quote from easyrider:
I honestly dont know how you would backtest rockets.
I tested "rockets" because specific criteria for them were posted and because the concept seems to make a lot of sense... trade stocks with good earnings (EPS) that are leading the pack (RS) and showing recent momentum (Stoch). But the results were unimpressive, perhaps because stocks meeting the criteria were also petering out.
This was my methodology. Choose up, down, and sideways market test periods. Rank stocks based on EPS and RS percentiles (80 & 90) just prior to the start of each test period, in other words use the EPS and RS rankings that were available at the time. For the stocks that meet the EPS and RS cut in each test period, look for stochastic crossings (above 80). When there is a stochastic crossing, record how the stock does 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 days afterwards. Then, for each test period, make "rocket" trade distributions and compare them to distributions of random entry trades of the same duration.
I also tested variations -- lots of variations -- on the EPS and RS percentiles (80 & 80, 90 & 90, 80 & 90, 90 & 80, etc.). And stocks whose EPS and RS percentiles met the criteria for the last quarter only, combinations of past quarters and for the whole year. I also added float, price and volume screens, and even tested > 25% inside ownership. Bottom line: no significant edge.
I understand time exits are not how one is supposed to exit a "rocket" but the way I look at it, if a "rocket" entry alone doesn't give more of an edge than a random entry, why not just throw darts? Had the entries by themselves shown a significant edge, I would have tested them with other exits.
Not saying nobody's making money trading rockets. But in my opinion if they are, they're either lucky or their discretion is doing the heavy lifting. Or both.