Two days before Plug Power ($PLUG) hit its 52-week high of $3.34, I posted on Instagram about this exact move.
Not luck. Not a guess. Pure algorithm.
Our new Cheat Code Algo v6 Screener flagged $PLUG before the rally even started—and while Wall Street was still sleeping on it, CCA traders were already positioned.
Let me break down what happened, why it matters, and how you can catch the next one before the crowd does.
📊 What Just Happened with Plug Power?
The Numbers:
134% rally over 6 months (from ~$1.50 to $3.34 at peak)
Hit 52-week high on October 1st at $3.34
Currently trading around $2.83 (after some profit-taking)
121 million shares traded on Oct 2 vs. 87M average—this thing was MOVING
The Catalyst: On October 1st, Plug Power announced they delivered their first 10 MW electrolyzer to Portugal's Galp Refinery—part of a massive 100 MW green hydrogen project (one of Europe's largest).
CEO Andy Marsh said: "This shows that large-scale hydrogen is ready today."
Translation? The future of clean energy isn't coming. It's already here.
The algo picked up not just a buy signal but also uptrends in the squeeze and swing below giving the 4/4 confirmation. On both buy signals.
🎯 But Here's the Kicker...
We saw this coming TWO DAYS before the news dropped.
Our Cheat Code Algo V6 detected unusual accumulation patterns, volume spikes, and institutional flow before the announcement. I posted about it on IG on September 29th, and by the time the news hit, the move was already underway.
This is exactly what the Algo is built for:
✅ Smart buy/sell signals
✅ Trend detection & fair value gaps
✅ Pre-market volume spike alerts
✅ Breakout/reversal pattern recognition
While analysts were still debating whether PLUG was a buy, our system already had the answer.
The Bigger Picture: Why Hydrogen Stocks Are Heating Up
Plug Power isn't just a one-off trade. This is part of a massive shift happening in energy markets right now:
1. Record Production: Plug's Georgia plant produced 324 metric tons of green hydrogen in August with 97% uptime—their best month ever.
2. Rising Electricity Prices: Power costs are up 5-6% nationwide, making green hydrogen more competitive vs. fossil fuels. Analyst H.C. Wainwright just raised their price target to $7.00 (that's a 147% upside from current levels).
3. Big Projects Coming Online: The Galp deal is just the first. Plug has nine more 10 MW modules lined up for delivery. That's 100 MW total—enough to produce 15,000 tons of green hydrogen per year.
But...
4. Government Funding Cuts: The U.S. DOE just canceled $75 million in hydrogen grants for Plug (part of $7.5B in clean-energy cuts). This created short-term uncertainty and is why the stock pulled back to $2.83 after hitting $3.34.
Smart money knows: This pullback is noise. The trend is now swinging bullish
🎓 3 Lessons from the PLUG Trade
1. The Algorithm Doesn't Lie
Technical signals + volume analysis = early positioning. Trust the data, not the headlines.
🛠️ Actionable Tip: Use our Trade Engine/Screener to identify pre-market volume spikes and breakout patterns before the crowd notices.
📚 Resource: with the CCA + Screener, you can setup real-time alerts + screen for setups like this daily.
2. News Follows Price, Not the Other Way Around
The stock was already moving before the Galp announcement. Why? Because institutions knew something was coming. Our Algo caught the institutional flow.
🛠️ Actionable Tip: Watch for unusual volume + tight consolidation patterns. That's where the next breakout hides.
📚 Resource: Learn these patterns in our Cheat Code Textbook + Course content w 12+ hours of video lessons on reading institutional behavior.
3. Volatility = Opportunity (If You Know What You're Doing)
After hitting $3.34, PLUG dropped to $2.83 in two days. Traders who bought at the top got burned. Our community got in early and took profits on the way up.
🛠️ Actionable Tip: Use our Technical Analysis Flashcards ($50) to master entries, exits, and risk management so you don't give back gains.
📈 Where Does PLUG Go from Here?
The Bullish Case:
H.C. Wainwright: $7.00 price target (Buy rating)
Craig-Hallum: $4.00 price target (Buy rating)
Roth MKM: $3.50 price target (Buy rating)
The Reality Check:
Consensus rating: "Reduce" (average target ~$1.88)
4 Buys, 7 Holds, 5 Sells among analysts
Company still burning cash (though improving margins)
My Take?
PLUG is a high-risk, high-reward play. If you're bullish on clean energy and can stomach the volatility, this pullback to $2.83 could be a gift. But position sizing matters—don't bet the farm.
And here's the key: Whether PLUG goes to $7 or back to $1.50, our Algo will catch the next move. That's the power of having a system.
[GIF: Chart analysis / Trader at computer]
🚀 Don't Miss the Next One
🥂 To catching them before they pop,
Francis Kway
Founder, Cheat Code Algo