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Legends of Trading: Mark Minervini

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Reviewed by Jack Kellogg Fact-checked by Ellis Hobbs
Updated 10/30/2024 8 min read

Mark Minervini is a highly respected stock trader, known for his mastery in momentum trading and growth stock strategies. Over decades, he’s made a name for himself as one of the top traders in the U.S. Investing Championship, a prestigious competition featuring traders from all walks of life.

What separates Minervini from the pack is his ability to find stocks on the brink of significant moves by combining technical analysis with strong fundamentals.

By focusing on stocks poised for significant growth, Minervini embodies a long-term vision and disciplined mindset. Learning from his experience offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to build a profitable trading career, whether navigating penny stocks or more established companies.

Read this article because it gives insights into Mark Minervini’s trading strategies, his success on Wall Street, and why he’s a renowned trader.

I’ll answer the following questions:

  1. Who is Mark Minervini?
  2. Is Mark Minervini legit or a scam?
  3. What trading strategy is Mark Minervini famous for?
  4. What is SEPA and how does it work?
  5. How did Mark Minervini get started in trading?
  6. What early successes did Mark Minervini have as a trader?
  7. Which stock picks are currently on Mark Minervini’s watchlist?
  8. Does Mark Minervini offer a trading course?

Let’s get to the content!

Who Is Mark Minervini?

Mark Minervini is a renowned trader who has gained recognition on Wall Street for his mastery of stock market strategies, particularly in growth stocks and momentum trading. Over his career, Minervini has demonstrated an ability to consistently achieve profits by using a disciplined approach rooted in a deep understanding of data and technical analysis.

His presence in trading circles is solidified by his participation in the U.S. Investing Championship, where his performance has repeatedly outpaced the broader market.

Minervini’s career has been well-documented in books like Stock Market Wizards by Jack Schwager, which highlights top traders across various markets. Minervini’s strategies are backed by consistent performance and are grounded in his extensive research and discipline.

In addition to his own accolades, Mark Minervini’s career can be compared to other trading legends like Jim Simons, whose groundbreaking work in quantitative trading earned him vast success.

Simons, the founder of Renaissance Technologies, revolutionized trading by relying heavily on mathematical models to predict market behavior. While Minervini uses more traditional methods like technical and fundamental analysis, both traders emphasize the importance of discipline and data-driven decisions. To understand how Simons reshaped the hedge fund industry, check out my article on Jim Simons’ trading career.

Is Mark Minervini Legit or a Scam?

With so many self-proclaimed trading experts online, it’s natural to question the legitimacy of figures like Mark Minervini. However, Minervini’s track record speaks for itself. He’s a verified champion of the U.S. Investing Championship, showcasing returns that consistently outperform the broader market.

His trading strategies, specifically the SEPA method, have been documented in his books and tested by countless traders worldwide. Minervini’s legitimacy comes from his transparency, results, and commitment to educating serious investors.

There will always be idiots who try to tear down the liquid gold knowledge offered by serious traders like Minervini. Here’s Mark replying to my tweet about an especially dumb episode:

Like Minervini, my career revolves around teaching others. Watch my video below to discover lessons I’ve learned over my 25 years in trading.

What Trading Strategy Is Mark Minervini Famous For?

Mark Minervini is best known for his SEPA (Specific Entry Point Analysis) method. SEPA isn’t just about finding stocks with potential; it’s about pinpointing precise entry points where the risk is minimized, and the stock is poised for significant gains.

The key to SEPA is in the details. Minervini emphasizes studying charts to identify when a stock is about to break out of consolidation or a technical base, backed by strong earnings and revenue growth. SEPA combines fundamental analysis with technical indicators, focusing on high-growth stocks that show signs of momentum.

While Mark Minervini is known for his SEPA methodology, his focus on growth stocks parallels the approach of investors like David Tepper, a hedge fund manager with a keen eye for distressed assets poised for recovery.

Tepper, like Minervini, relies on rigorous analysis to time his market entries and exits with precision. For further insights, check out my article about David Tepper’s investment strategies.

How Did Mark Minervini Get Started?

Mark Minervini started as a young trader, learning from his mistakes and slowly building his approach. Like most successful traders, Minervini experienced losses early on, but he used those experiences to refine his trading techniques.

He learned to embrace risk management and discipline, which played a significant role in shaping his trading style today.

What Are the Early Trading Successes of Mark Minervini?

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Minervini’s breakthrough came after years of trial and error. His first significant win was rooted in his ability to identify high-momentum stocks that were on the verge of a breakout.

By mastering the art of timing his entries and managing his risk, he was able to turn small accounts into substantial portfolios. Much like in my own trading journey, Minervini learned that the key to long-term success is consistency and the willingness to adapt.

Which Stock Picks Are on Mark Minervini’s Watchlist?

Minervini’s stock picks often feature high-growth companies with strong fundamentals. These are typically stocks showing increasing revenue, earnings, and solid technical bases that could lead to breakouts.

Like many traders, Minervini watches sectors with the most momentum. Stocks in technology, healthcare, and biotech are often on his radar due to their growth potential.

To be successful like Mark Minervini, you need a robust trading platform that allows you to screen for stocks, create charts, apply technical indicators, and more.

My favorite platform is StocksToTrade. It’s a powerful day and swing trading platform that integrates with most major brokers. I helped to design it, which means it has all the trading indicators, news sources, and stock screening capabilities that traders like me look for in a platform.

Grab your 14-day StocksToTrade trial today — it’s only $7!

What Is Mark Minervini’s Net Worth?

While specific figures aren’t publicly disclosed, it’s clear from his trading success and performance in competitions like the U.S. Investing Championship that Mark Minervini has accumulated significant wealth through his stock market expertise.

His books, trading courses, and workshops are additional sources of revenue that contribute to his overall financial success.

Trading isn’t rocket science. It’s a skill you build and work on like any other. Trading has changed my life, and I think this way of life should be open to more people…

I’ve built my Trading Challenge to pass on the things I had to learn for myself. It’s the kind of community that I wish I had when I was starting out.

We don’t accept everyone. If you’re up for the challenge — I want to hear from you.

Apply to the Trading Challenge here.

Trading is a battlefield. The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you’ll be.

Is continuous education part of your trading toolkit? Write “I’ll keep it simple Tim!” in the comments if you picked up on my trading philosophy!

FAQs About Mark Minervini

How Old Is Mark Minervini?

Mark Minervini was born in 1965, making him 59 in 2024. His experience spans over several decades, offering insights that come only from years of being in the trenches of the stock market.

More Breaking News

Does Mark Minervini Have a Blog or Website?

Yes, Mark Minervini operates a website.

Does Mark Minervini Have a TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Account?

Mark Minervini is active on YouTube, and X/Twitter. These platforms allow him to share market insights, educational tips, and his latest stock picks.

Does Mark Minervini Offer a Course?

Yes, Mark Minervini offers a trading course called the “Master Trader Program.” This program dives deep into his SEPA methodology.


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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”