Five pillars. One hundred points. No exceptions, no overrides, no editorial gut feel. The score is produced by the framework. The framework decides what makes the watchlist.
Most investors compare stocks by feel. One looks better than another. One has a story they like. One is in the news. The CLEAR Score removes all of that. Every stock is run through the same five pillars. Every pillar scores up to 20 points. The total determines the conviction level — and the conviction level determines the action.
Every stock published in The Friday Report carries a CLEAR Score. Every score is produced the same way. You can see exactly why any stock scored what it scored — pillar by pillar, point by point.
Each pillar evaluates a different dimension of the stock. All five must be assessed before a CLEAR Score is produced. No pillar is optional. A strong score in four pillars does not compensate for a zero in the fifth — the framework reads each independently.
Select any pillar below to see the full scoring rubric.
The catalyst is the ignition event — the specific reason institutional capital is entering this stock at this moment. Without a confirmed catalyst there is no edge, only hope. The catalyst must be active and verifiable at the time of scan.
| Score | Condition |
|---|---|
| 20 pts | Active and confirmed catalyst present — earnings surprise of 10% or more, new contract announcement, sector breakout, confirmed guidance raised. Institutional response visible in volume. |
| 10–15 pts | Catalyst present but showing early signs of fading. Sector tailwind exists but stock-specific driver is less clear. Volume confirmation partial. |
| 0 pts | No identifiable catalyst. Price movement appears speculative or momentum-only. No institutional confirmation visible. |
Leadership is measured by relative strength against the broader market and sector peers. The CLEAR Framework targets sector leaders — the number one or number two stock in their industry by price performance. Followers are not candidates.
| Score | Condition |
|---|---|
| 20 pts | Sector leader confirmed. IBD 50 or FFTY constituent, or Relative Strength rating of 80 or above. Price above both the 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Outperforming the broader market index over the last 13 weeks. |
| 10–15 pts | Some leadership criteria met. Price above one moving average but not both. Relative Strength in the 60–79 range. Sector performance is average rather than leading. |
| 0 pts | Price below the 200-day moving average. Relative Strength below 60. Underperforming sector peers. Not a leader — a lagger. |
Earnings quality is the foundation of any sustainable breakout. The CLEAR Framework requires both earnings per share growth and revenue acceleration. One without the other is insufficient. Guidance direction is weighted heavily — raised guidance signals management confidence. Cut guidance is an automatic disqualifier.
| Score | Condition |
|---|---|
| 20 pts | Earnings per share growth of 25% or more year over year in the most recent quarter. Revenue accelerating quarter over quarter. Earnings beat of 10% or more versus consensus. Guidance raised in the most recent report. |
| 10–15 pts | Earnings growth present but below 25%. Revenue growth stable but not accelerating. Beat versus consensus below 10%. Guidance maintained but not raised. |
| 0 pts | Earnings declining year over year. Revenue shrinking. Guidance cut or withdrawn. Any of these conditions triggers zero regardless of other factors. |
Institutional accumulation is the fuel behind sustainable breakouts. Individual investors do not move mid-cap stocks — institutions do. The CLEAR Framework looks for volume confirmation that professional capital is entering the position. A breakout on low volume is a signal of weakness, not strength.
| Score | Condition |
|---|---|
| 20 pts | Breakout volume 40% or more above the 50-day average volume. Institutional ownership rising quarter over quarter. Float of under 100 million shares preferred. Up/down volume ratio above 1.5 on the base formation. |
| 10–15 pts | Volume above average on breakout but below the 40% threshold. Institutional ownership stable rather than rising. Mixed volume pattern within the base — some accumulation days, some distribution days. |
| 0 pts | Breakout on below-average volume. Institutional ownership declining. Visible distribution pattern — more down-volume days than up-volume days on above-average volume. |
The final pillar is purely mechanical. It asks one question: does the geometry of this trade make sense? A great business with strong earnings and institutional buying can still produce a poor trade if the entry is extended, the stop is too far, or the target is too close. The CLEAR Framework requires a minimum 1-to-2 risk/reward ratio on every setup.
| Score | Condition |
|---|---|
| 20 pts | Risk/reward ratio of 1-to-2 or better confirmed. Entry point within 5% of the Breakout Level. Stop defined at the Support Level — maximum 7 to 8% below entry. Target T1 at minimum 1-to-2 risk/reward. Base stage 1 or 2. |
| 10–15 pts | Risk/reward between 1-to-1.5 and 1-to-2. Entry slightly extended — 5 to 8% above the ideal trigger. Stage 3 base. Stop distance wider than preferred but still defined. |
| 0 pts | Risk/reward below 1-to-1.5. No clearly defined stop level. Stock extended more than 10% above the base breakout point. Stage 4 base or higher — too extended, too discovered, too late. |
The CLEAR Score produces a number. The number maps to a conviction level. The conviction level determines the action. This mapping never changes — it is applied identically to every stock, every week, regardless of market conditions or editorial preference.
| CLEAR Score | Conviction Label | Action | Market Pulse Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 – 100 | Highest Conviction | Enter on confirmed breakout — full position size | GREEN only |
| 70 – 84 | High Conviction | Enter on confirmed breakout — reduced position size. One weakness present. | GREEN or YELLOW |
| 55 – 69 | Watchlist Only | Monitor for improvement. Do not enter. Reassess next scan cycle. | Any — no entry |
| Below 55 | Eliminated | Removed from scan. Revisit only if fundamentals materially change. | Not applicable |
"A CLEAR Score of 85 or above in a GREEN market is the highest-conviction signal this framework produces. These are the setups worth waiting for."
Every issue of The Friday Report runs a Watchlist Challenge. Three to five Challengers enter the Research Room each week. They are scored against every Defender currently holding a watchlist position. The CLEAR Score determines the outcome. The highest scores win. The lowest scores are dropped — no exceptions, no sentiment.
The result is a watchlist that is always improving. Every week, the weakest position is under pressure from new candidates. The scoreboard is published in full — entry prices, current status, scores, and outcomes. Everything is visible.
Certain conditions result in immediate elimination from the CLEAR scan regardless of any pillar score. These are not judgment calls. They are hard rules applied before scoring begins. A stock that triggers any disqualifier is removed — no further evaluation is performed.
These rules exist to protect the quality of the watchlist. A stock that passes all five pillars but triggers a disqualifier does not appear in The Friday Report. The framework governs. The editor does not override the framework.
Every issue of The Friday Report publishes the full CLEAR Score for every stock — pillar by pillar, point by point. Start with the free Friday Flash to see the framework applied to real stocks in real market conditions.
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The content on this page is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The CLEAR Score and the CLEAR Framework are proprietary editorial tools used to structure stock analysis for publication. They are not investment advice, financial advice, or recommendations to buy or sell any security. No score, rating, or threshold described on this page constitutes a recommendation to act.
All investing and trading involves risk. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The scoring criteria described on this page reflect the editorial standards of The Friday Report and are not affiliated with, derived from, or endorsed by any third-party rating agency, financial institution, or individual analyst.
You should conduct your own research and seek independent financial advice before making any investment decision. ProfitByFriday.com is an independent, subscriber-funded publication. It does not accept advertising, affiliate payments, or compensation from any company whose securities may be discussed.