📈 LQDT WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95 (0.66:1 R/R)
🏢 Company Overview
Liquidity Services, Inc. | Sector: Consumer Cyclical | Industry: Specialty Retail
This report provides a simplified overview of the adaptive price movement analysis for LQDT. Using historical price data up to 2026-02-17, it identifies stock-specific trading zones based on distances from 1-month highs, tailored to LQDT’s unique behavior. The analysis accounts for volatility relative to the S&P 500, recent price patterns, and broader market trends. This is not financial advice—always conduct your own research and consult a professional advisor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
📊 Key Data Points
- Symbol: LQDT
- Analysis Date: 2026-02-17
- Current Price: $30.73
- 1-Month High: $33.61 (reached on 2026-02-10 00:00:00)
- Distance from High: 8.6%
🛡️ Regime & Gating
- Regime: NEUTRAL_TRANSITION
- Disabled Lanes: SHALLOW_PULLBACK (probability 19% < 35% floor)
- Probability Floor: 35%
- Notes: No gating notes
- Badge: Regime: NEUTRAL_TRANSITION | Disabled: SHALLOW_PULLBACK (probability 19% < 35% floor) | Prob floor: 35%
📈 Price Trajectory (Multi-Timeframe Analysis)
- Short-term (5 days): Fast pullback (-7.4% in 5 days)
- Medium-term (3 months): Strong uptrend (+36.1% in 3 months)
- Long-term (12 months): Downtrend (-13.9% in 12 months)
Interpretation: The short-term shows immediate momentum from 2026-02-09 00:00:00 to 2026-02-17, while medium and long-term trends reveal the broader price structure. Current overall direction: FALLING_FROM_HIGH at FAST pace.
📊 RSI Momentum Indicator (RFC-008 Phase 2)
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) measures momentum on a 0-100 scale using 14-period Wilder’s smoothing. Values above 70 indicate overbought conditions (potential pullback), while values below 30 suggest oversold conditions (potential bounce).
Current RSI Status
🟢 Neutral Zone
| Metric | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14-day) | 44.2 | Neutral |
| Signal | 🟢 Neutral | RSI at 44.2 – no extreme conditions, normal market activity |
Trading Implication: RSI between 30-70 indicates normal market conditions for LQDT without extreme momentum. This is:
– Ideal for swing trading setups using price zones
– Less likely to experience immediate reversals
– Good time to wait for clear directional signals
Strategy: Focus on price zone positions and volume confirmation rather than momentum extremes.
Methodology: Classic Wilder’s smoothing algorithm – first period uses simple average of 14-day gains/losses, subsequent periods apply exponential smoothing (prior_avg × 13 + current) / 14 for momentum continuity.
⏱️ Microstructure Timing Signals (Last 10 Candles (Feb 02 – Feb 13, 2026))
⚠️ Confluence Score: 2/4 (bearish_trend_with_rejection)
| Signal | Status | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 🔵 Range Compression | Normal | 0.000 |
| 🔵 Volume Activity | Normal | 0.000 |
| 🔵 Wick Patterns | 2 rejections vs 2 absorptions – balanced battle | 2 rejections / 2 absorptions |
| 🔵 Candlestick Patterns | Pattern cluster: indecision patterns (doji/spinning tops) | 6 patterns |
Battle Dynamics: The confluence score of 2/4 indicates a bearish trend with rejection, but it lacks strong conviction due to the balanced wick and candlestick patterns. This is not a high-conviction setup, suggesting traders should exercise caution and avoid aggressive positioning.
Timing: Moderate edge present. Monitor for additional signal convergence before acting (3-7 days).
Pattern Formation Timeline
Candlestick Patterns Detected:
– 🔴 Shooting Star: Feb 10 (bearish reversal signals)
– 🟢 Hammer: Feb 04 (bullish reversal signals)
– ⚪ Doji: Feb 06, Feb 10 (indecision)
– 🔵 Spinning Top: Feb 06, Feb 13 (indecision)
Wick Events:
– ⬆️ Upper Rejections: Feb 06, Feb 10 (selling pressure)
– ⬇️ Lower Absorptions: Feb 04, Feb 13 (buying support)
Microstructure analysis examines the last 10 candles (Feb 02 – Feb 13, 2026) for timing signals.
📉 Volatility and Market Context
LQDT’s price movements are classified as “Very High (speculative / event-driven)” with an annualized volatility of 49.9% and a typical daily price swing of 3.15% ($0.97). This means LQDT can move about 3.15% daily, which is high compared to other stocks.
- 🎯 Relative Volatility: LQDT’s current volatility ranks in the 100.0th percentile compared to the historical volatility of the S&P 500 (SPY). This means LQDT’s price swings are larger than those of the broader market on 100.0% of historical trading days, indicating higher risk than the market.
- 🌍 Market Environment: The analysis identifies a neutral market, with the S&P 500 (SPY) trading at $681.75, -0.8% below its 50-day moving average ($687.36). Bear markets increase selling pressure, requiring wider safety margins.
| Metric | Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 📊 Stock Volatility | 49.9% (annualized) | Yearly price fluctuations; higher means more risk/reward |
| 📅 Daily Volatility (σ) | 3.15% ($0.97) | Typical 1-day move (std deviation) for context |
| 🎯 Volatility vs. SPY | 100.0th percentile | higher risk than the market |
| 📈 Market Trend | neutral (-0.8% vs. SMA50) | Challenging market conditions; zones are wider to account for higher risk. |
| ⚖️ Baseline Setup R/R | 0.89:1 | Risk/Reward for a baseline entry at current price with a wide stop (see RFC-008 section) |
🎯 Lane R/R Analysis (RFC-029)
LQDT offers different risk/reward profiles depending on entry timing. Each lane represents a strategic price level for entry, with its own risk/reward ratio and probability based on historical performance:
| Lane | Entry | Target | R/R | Probability | Expectancy | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🚀 Breakout | $33.95 | $34.62 | 0.66:1 | 65% | 0.08 | Momentum entry with close-based confirmation |
| 📉 Deep Pullback | $31.46 | $33.95 | 0.36:1 | 55% | -0.25 | Conservative entry at optimal buy zone |
| ⚖️ Current (Baseline) | $30.73 | $34.62 | 0.89:1 | 47% | -0.11 | Baseline only (not an entry lane) |
Ranked by Expectancy:
– 🥇 Breakout 🚀: 0.08 EV
– 🥈 Current (Baseline) ⚖️: -0.11 EV
– 🥉 Pullback 📉: -0.25 EV
🎯 FINAL_ACTION: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95
💡 Best Current Opportunity: 🚀 Breakout Lane (0.08 EV) – Wait for breakout confirmation above $33.95 with 0.66:1 lane R/R and 65% lane probability.
🎯 Price-Based Trading Zones
This analysis uses LQDT’s historical price patterns to define trading zones based on percentage distances from its 1-month high ($33.61). These zones are adjusted for LQDT’s high volatility (widened for larger swings), recent price behavior (emphasizing data from the last ~3.4 years), and the neutral market environment (wider near-high zones). The zones are based on 55 historical reversal points (21 resistance, 34 support), with recent patterns weighted more heavily (average weight: 0.11).
| Zone | Distance (%) | Price Level | Trading Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 Resistance | 1.4 | $33.14 | Avoid buying; strong selling pressure likely |
| 🟡 Caution | 3.5 | $32.43 | Reduce positions or hedge; watch for reversals |
| 🟢 Sweet Spot | 6.4 | $31.46 | Optimal buy zone with 29.0% success rate |
| 💎 Value | 9.2 | $30.52 | Attractive buy on pullback; strong bounce zone |
| 🔵 Deep Value | 14.2 | $28.84 | Potential reversal, but risky; confirm with catalysts |
| ⚠️ Extreme Value | 17.6 | $27.69 | Severe oversold; high crash risk—wait for catalyst |
| 🚨 Crash Zone | >30% | Below extreme | Critical danger zone—avoid unless deep value investor |
📈 Historical Performance at This Exact Distance: When LQDT was specifically at 6.4% from its high (the sweet spot zone), it broke out to new all-time highs 29.0% of the time, with 30.0% crashing (−10%+). Historical sweet spot entries averaged 1.0:1 reward-to-risk (based on past breakouts from this zone).
Note: This measures outcomes at this specific distance. For broader success analysis across similar market contexts (not just distance), see Advanced Success Analysis below.
🎯 Advanced Success Analysis (RFC-011 Phase 2)
Scope Difference: Unlike the zone-specific breakout rate above (which only looks at exact distance from high), this analysis examines a BROADER set of similar market contexts—matching on trajectory, volume patterns, regime, and zone—not just distance. This explains why success rates may differ.
This analysis uses two methods to measure historical success when LQDT was in similar price contexts:
📊 Binary Success (Traditional Method)
– What it measures: Did the stock reach NEW all-time highs?
– Rate: 55.0%
– Limitation: All-or-nothing – ignores partial progress
📈 Graded Success (Enhanced Method)
– What it measures: Progress toward the next high, with partial credit:
– 🟢 100% = Made new high (full success)
– 🟡 85% = Reached 85% of the way to new high
– 🟡 75% = Reached 75% of the way
– 🟠 50% = Reached halfway point
– 🔴 25% = Made 25% progress
– ❌ 0% = No progress or declined
– Rate: 65.0%
– Advantage: Shows favorable risk/reward even with conservative targets
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Binary Success | 55.0% | 271 samples – moderate confidence |
| Graded Success | 65.0% | 271 samples – moderate confidence |
| Improvement | +10.0 points | Graded method captures partial gains |
📊 Confidence Breakdown (42.3/100 – Low):
– Sample Size: 40/40 points – Based on 199.1 weighted samples
– Quality: 0.2/40 points – Average similarity and recency (0.62)
– Consistency: 2.1/20 points – Low variance = predictable outcomes
🔍 Sample Quality & Reliability:
– Total Samples: 271 similar historical contexts
– Effective Samples: 199.1 (weighted by recency)
– Recent Data: 73.6% from last 3 years
– Raw Rate: 64.1% (before adjustments)
– Cap Applied: Yes (55.0% max prevents overconfidence)
📊 What This Means: The graded success rate of 65.0% vs binary 55.0% (improvement: +10.0pp) shows that even when $LQDT doesn’t make new highs, it often makes significant partial progress (50-85% of the way), indicating favorable risk/reward even with conservative price targets.
💰 Price Targets and Risk Management
These price levels translate the percentage zones into actionable dollar amounts, with stop-loss suggestions based on LQDT’s daily volatility (ATR).
| Target Type | Price Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Optimal Buy | $31.46 | Enter in sweet spot for best risk/reward. |
| 🟢 Good Value | $30.52 | Strong buy opportunity on deeper pullback. |
| 🟢 Deep Value | $28.84 | Oversold; wait for reversal signals (e.g., high volume, news). |
| 🔴 Reduce Position | $32.43 | In caution zone—scale back exposure. |
| 🔴 Exit/Hedge | $33.14 | Near resistance—consider selling or hedging. |
| 🚀 Breakout Confirmation | $33.95 | 1% above high—signals new uptrend. |
| 🚀 Strong Breakout | $34.62 | 3% above high—confirms bullish momentum. |
| 📊 Position Sizing | 10-25% (Value zone) (Current price) | Low confidence due to VALUE_ZONE. |
Note: Stop-loss levels are shown within each trading scenario below, tailored to the specific entry strategy (value entries use wider ATR-based stops; breakout entries use tighter setup-specific stops below breakout level).
⚖️ Risk/Reward Methodology (RFC-008 Phase 5)
Transparent breakdown of risk/reward calculation using current price, target price projection, and volatility-adjusted stop loss.
Risk/Reward Analysis
🔴 Quality Assessment: Poor (0.89:1)
| Component | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Price | $30.73 | Current market price for LQDT |
| Target Price | $34.62 | Projected resistance or breakout level |
| Stop Loss | $26.38 | Risk management exit point |
| Potential Reward | $3.89 | Target – Entry |
| Potential Risk | $4.35 | Entry – Stop |
| R/R Ratio | 0.89:1 | Reward divided by Risk |
Calculation Breakdown
Formula: (Target - Entry) / (Entry - Stop)
Step-by-step:
1. Reward = $34.62 (target) – $30.73 (entry) = $3.89
2. Risk = $30.73 (entry) – $26.38 (stop) = $4.35
3. Ratio = $3.89 / $4.35 = 0.89:1
Stop Loss Determination: Normal stop level ($26.38)
14-Day ATR: $1.16 (~3.8% of entry price) – stop is 3.8x ATR for volatility adjustment
💡 Interpretation
A ratio below 1.0:1 is poor – you’re risking more than potential reward. Avoid this trade setup unless conviction is extremely high.
Position Sizing Guidance: With a 0.89:1 R/R ratio, if you risk 1% of portfolio capital, you target 0.89% potential gain. Adjust position size so that hitting the stop loss = acceptable portfolio loss (typically 0.5-2% per trade).
Important: This R/R calculation assumes execution at entry price and hitting either target or stop. Actual results may vary with slippage, partial exits, or trailing stops.
🎯 Dual-Lane Analysis (RFC-028)
The analysis identifies three distinct trading lanes with different entry strategies:
🛡️ Regime Gating:
– Regime: NEUTRAL_TRANSITION
– Probability floor: 35%
– Disabled lanes: SHALLOW_PULLBACK (probability 19% < 35% floor)
📊 Lanes Ranked by Expectancy (EV per 1R):
🥇 Breakout Lane 🚀: 0.08 EV
🥈 Current Lane ⚖️: -0.11 EV
🥉 Pullback Lane 📉: -0.25 EV
Detailed Comparison Table (ACTIVE lanes only; disabled lanes omitted):
Definitions:
– p = modeled probability of hitting the lane target before the lane stop (proxy from historical analog contexts)
– R = lane reward-to-risk multiple for that entry/stop/target
– EV = p × R − (1 − p) (per 1R)
R/R Labels:
– Baseline Setup R/R uses current price + broader ATR-based stop (context)
– Lane R/R uses each lane’s own entry/stop/target (action model)
| Lane | Entry | Target | Stop | Reward | Risk | R/R Ratio | Probability | Expectancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🚀 Breakout | $33.95 | $34.62 | $32.93 | $0.67 | $1.02 | 0.66:1 | 65% | 0.08 |
| 📉 Deep Pullback | $31.46 | $33.95 | $24.45 | $2.49 | $7.01 | 0.36:1 | 55% | -0.25 |
💡 Recommendation:
🚀 Wait for breakout above $33.95 – Breakout Lane has EV 0.08R.
📐 Expectancy Calculation (EV per 1R): EV = p × R − (1 − p)
– Higher EV = better average edge per unit risk (1R)
– Breakeven win rate: p = 1 / (1 + R)
– Pullback Lane: Wider stops, better entry, potentially higher R
– Breakout Lane: Tighter stops, confirmation required, potentially higher p
– Current Lane: Immediate entry, typically lower edge vs planned entries
📌 Breakout Multi-Target Variant (simple model)
– T1 R: 0.66R, T2 R: 2.35R (T2 = T1×1.05)
– 50/50 scale-out effective R: 1.51R
– EV (using same p): 0.63R | Breakeven p: 40%
(This is an illustrative payoff curve; actual multi-target probabilities may differ.)
Note: The summary table at the top of the report shows simplified lane comparison; this section provides full details including stop-loss levels.
🎯 Current Analysis
Current Position: LQDT is in the VALUE_ZONE at $30.73, 8.6% below its high
🎯 FINAL_ACTION: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95
📋 Recommendations (Two Lanes)
Holder: HOLD (LOW) — Maintain exposure per the broader trend; manage risk with stops and sizing.
New Entry: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION (LOW) — Positive EV (0.08R). Trigger > $33.95.
🔍 Confidence: LOW
📈 Historical Success: 0.65
⚖️ Risk/Reward: 0.89
📋 Trading Scenarios
Based on current price position and technical setup, here are actionable trade scenarios with defined entries, targets, and stops:
🎯 FINAL_ACTION: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95
🎯 FINAL_ACTION
Primary Setup: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95
🚀 Breakout Entry (FINAL_ACTION)
Entry trigger: Breakout > $33.95 (require demand confirmation: ≥1.2x 20D volume OR OBV trend turning up)
Targets: $34.62 → $36.35
Stop: $32.93 (tight; breakout invalidation)
Risk/Reward: ~0.7:1 to first target
📊 Comprehensive Volume Analysis
Volume analysis provides institutional-level insights into supply and demand dynamics. This advanced analysis combines multiple volume indicators to identify accumulation, distribution, and potential divergences.
On-Balance Volume (OBV) – Cumulative Volume Pressure
📉 Current Trend: Down
10-Day Net Change: -367,368
Interpretation: Bearish – OBV declining over 10 days (-367,368)
OBV tracks cumulative buying and selling pressure. Rising OBV with price suggests healthy accumulation; falling OBV with rising price may indicate distribution (bearish divergence).
VWAP Multi-Timeframe Confluence
🟡 Confluence Signal: Mixed Signals
| Timeframe | Signal | Weight | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Day | Neutral | High | Immediate institutional positioning |
| 14-Day | Neutral | Medium | Swing accumulation/distribution |
| 30-Day | Neutral | Medium | Trend-level volume commitment |
VWAP (Volume-Weighted Average Price) represents the average price paid by institutions. Price above VWAP with accumulation suggests bullish control; below VWAP with distribution indicates bearish pressure.
Volume Activity Metrics
⬆️ Relative Volume: 1.35x
vs. 20-Day Average: +34.8%
Recent Volume Spikes: 0 in last 30 days
Quality Ratio: 1.01 (Neutral)
ℹ️ Volume-Price Divergence Analysis
Severity: Mild
Type: Bearish Confirmation (confidence -5%)
Signals:
– ⚠️ EXTREME VOL ALERT: Price falling -5.8% with OBV declining -1.7x (≥0.25× avg) in ≥95th percentile volatility
– ⚠️ EXTREME VOL WATCH: Price falling -5.8% with OBV declining -1.7x (≥0.10× avg) in ≥95th percentile volatility
Divergences between price and volume can signal potential reversals or continuations. Monitor closely for confirmation.
💡 Volume Integration with Price Zones
Combining volume analysis with price-based zones enhances decision accuracy:
– Near Resistance + Distribution: High risk—institutions may be selling into strength
– Value Zone + Accumulation: Strong buy signal—institutions building positions
– Breakout + High Volume: Confirms new trend—likely to sustain
– Price Divergence + Volume Divergence: Critical warning—potential reversal imminent
Use volume to validate price zone recommendations and improve entry/exit timing.
📊 Moving Average Cluster Analysis
Current MA Positioning
| MA Period | Price | Distance | Slope | Direction | Support Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMA10 | $31.96 | +4.0% | -0.30% | ➡️ Flat | – |
| SMA20 | $31.87 | +3.7% | +0.07% | ➡️ Flat | – |
| SMA50 | $31.42 | +2.2% | +0.56% | 📈 Rising | Moderate |
| SMA200 | $26.87 | -12.6% | +0.01% | ➡️ Flat | – |
🎯 Detected MA Clusters
VERY_STRONG Cluster Detected:
– SMA50 + SMA20 + SMA10 converging at $31.75 (3.3% above current price)
– 3 moving averages within 3% range
– Cluster strength: VERY_STRONG
– Interpretation: Price currently below cluster resistance. Potential pullback zone if rejected.
💡 MA Cluster Alignment (Governed by FINAL_ACTION)
FINAL_ACTION: WAIT_FOR_BREAKOUT_CONFIRMATION > $33.95
Alignment: Neutral
Note: No clear MA pullback targets detected; treat MA signals as context only.
💼 Investment Considerations
- 🏦 Long-Term Investors: Consider entry points near $30.52 (value zone) to $28.84 (deep value) with wide stops ($24.45) to manage downside. Current price at $30.73 is 8.6% below high. Monitor upcoming earnings or sector news for catalysts.
- ⚡ Short-Term Traders: Wait for a breakout above $33.95 or a confirmed bounce in the deep value zone. Track Specialty Retail sector trends.
- 🌍 Market Context: The neutral market supports potential upside, but LQDT’s high relative volatility (100.0th percentile) suggests bigger swings—diversify and stay cautious.
🔬 Methodology
This analysis uses the Adaptive Peak Distance Analyzer, a proprietary tool that studies LQDT’s historical price movements to identify optimal trading zones. It calculates:
– 📊 Price Zones: Based on distances from 52-week highs where LQDT historically breaks out or reverses, using 1254 days of data (since ~2022).
– 📈 Volatility Adjustment: Compares LQDT’s 30-day volatility (49.9%) to SPY’s historical distribution, ranking at the 100.0th percentile, widening zones for safety.
– ⏰ Time Decay: Weights recent price reversals (~3.4 years) more heavily (average weight: 0.11) to reflect current behavior.
– 🌍 Market Regime: Adjusts zones based on SPY’s position (-0.8% vs. 50-day SMA), wider near-high zones.
– 📊 Volume Analysis: When available, integrates volume profile analysis including On-Balance Volume (OBV), Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP), and volume-price divergence patterns to validate price movements and identify institutional accumulation/distribution.
– 📏 Metrics: Daily Volatility (σ) 3.15% typical 1-day move. Uses 14-Day ATR for volatility-adjusted stop-losses (RFC-011). Historical sweet spot entries averaged 1.0:1 reward-to-risk; current R/R from today’s price shown in Risk/Reward section below.
The analysis is robust (1254 samples, “High (Robust dataset)” quality) but focuses on price patterns and volume trends, not fundamental analysis. For broader context, check financial news or analyst reports.
🏢 About Liquidity Services, Inc.
Sector: Consumer Cyclical | Industry: Specialty Retail
Liquidity Services, Inc. provides e-commerce marketplaces, self-directed auction listing tools, and value-added services. It operates through four segments: Retail Supply Chain Group, Capital Assets Group, GovDeals, and Machinio. The company’s marketplaces include liquidation.com that enable corporations to sell surplus and salvage consumer goods and retail capital assets; GovDeals marketplace, which provides self-directed service solutions in which sellers list their own assets that enables loc…
📊 Understanding Expectancy
What is Expectancy (EV)? Expectancy represents your average profit per unit of risk (1R) across many similar trades.
Definition (per 1R):
– EV = p × R − (1 − p)
– p = win probability
– R = reward-to-risk multiple (e.g., R=2.0 means +2R on wins, −1R on losses)
Breakeven win rate:
– p = 1 / (1 + R) → for the BREAKOUT lane here, breakeven is 60%
Worked example with LQDT (BREAKOUT lane)
Assume 100 trades, risking $100 each (total risk = $10000):
– Expected win profit: p × N × $risk × R = $4290
– Expected losses: (1−p) × N × $risk = −$3500
– Expected net: EV × N × $risk = $790
– Expected per trade: EV × $risk = $8
How to use this: The system recommends the lane with the highest EV because, statistically, it offers the best risk-adjusted edge (per 1R). Individual outcomes will vary.
⚠️ Disclaimer
This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing in stocks like LQDT involves risks, including loss of principal. The analysis relies on historical price data and may not predict future performance. Always conduct your own research, consider your financial situation, and consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Report generated on February 17, 2026
