> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://finpins.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How Does Alpha Picks Work - URL: https://finpins.ghost.io/how-does-alpha-picks-work/ - Published: 2026-10-16T01:57:45.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T22:28:21.000Z - Description: Inside Alpha Picks: the screening rules, when picks arrive, what members get, what it won't do and how to use it sensibly. - Author: Kenneth Wagner - Tags: Alpha Picks, Seeking Alpha, How It Works Try Seeking Alpha Premium free for 7 days $269 for your first year through this link (regular $299/yr) [Start My Free 7-Day Trial →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4G6SHH/) Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. *Disclosure: FinPins may earn a commission if you buy through links in this post, at no extra cost to you. FinPins is independent and not endorsed by Seeking Alpha. This is not investment advice.* Alpha Picks is often described as "the quant system's best ideas", which is accurate but vague. In concrete terms, Seeking Alpha takes stocks that have scored Strong Buy on its quant model for a sustained period, passes them through a few eligibility filters, and publishes two of them each month into a model portfolio, with alerts when ratings change. Here are the precise rules from the knowledge base and how members put them to work. View the current offer List price $499 a year; our offer link showed $449 in October 2026. [Open Alpha Picks →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4HKP84/) ## Eligibility, rule by rule **Persistence.** A Strong Buy quant rating for at least 75 consecutive days. **Model inputs.** That rating draws on value, growth, profitability, EPS revisions and momentum. **Security type.** US common stock only; foreign ADRs are excluded. **Sector exclusion.** REITs are excluded. **Size.** A three-month average market capitalisation above $500 million. **Price.** A share price above $10. **No repeats.** Not recommended within the past year. ## Why the 75-day rule matters Ratings can flicker. A stock might jump to Strong Buy after one good quarter and drop back weeks later. Requiring two and a half months of continuous top rating favours companies whose fundamentals, estimates and price trend have stayed strong, filtering out much of that noise. ## Publication schedule The first pick of each month appears on the first trading day; the second on the 15th or the next trading day. Apple's store description says picks arrive by email. ## What membership includes - Two new picks a month. - Hold and Sell alerts when ratings shift, plus periodic performance updates. - Members-only webinars and access to the stock-selection research. - The full current and historical portfolio. ## Model-driven, not opinion-driven Contributor articles and Wall Street ratings are not the selection mechanism; the quant model and the eligibility screens are. To understand that model, read [our quant rating explainer](https://finpins.ghost.io/seeking-alpha-quant-ratings-explained/). ## Reported results The company reports +356.93% for the portfolio against +106.24% for the S&P 500 from July 1, 2022 to October 9, 2026\. Those figures are self-reported, concentrated and not a promise; context is in [our performance review](https://finpins.ghost.io/alpha-picks-performance/). Picks plus the research behind them First year of Premium plus Alpha Picks: $718 per the knowledge base, versus $798 separately. [View the bundle →](https://link.seekingalpha.com/459G29B/4JZKZP/) ## Three ways members use it **Follow it exactly.** Put the same amount into each pick and act on Sell alerts. This is closest to the reported portfolio. **Use it as a shortlist.** Treat every pick as a candidate and research it before buying. Premium's grades, articles and transcripts help here. **Run it as a satellite.** Keep most money in index funds and allocate a smaller share to the picks. ## What it does not do It does not size positions to your situation, manage taxes, look at your other holdings, or cover REITs and foreign ADRs. Income-focused and international investors will need other tools alongside it. ## A plan for your first three months Week one: read the selection research and the latest performance update. Decide whether you will buy existing positions or only new ones. Fix a dollar amount per pick and a rule for Sell alerts. Month three: review results against an index fund bought on the same dates. Leaving later? See [cancelling Alpha Picks](https://finpins.ghost.io/how-to-cancel-alpha-picks/); weighing value, see [is it worth it](https://finpins.ghost.io/is-alpha-picks-worth-it/). ## Three members **The mirror.** Jo invests $1,000 in every pick and sells on alerts. **The researcher.** Ray investigates each pick with Premium before deciding. **The satellite user.** Uma keeps 80% in index funds and 20% in picks. ## Who should look elsewhere Investors wanting REIT or international ideas, or anyone uncomfortable with a concentrated list. ## A worked example of the rules Suppose a mid-sized industrial company has carried a Strong Buy rating for 90 days, trades at $45 and has averaged a $3 billion market value over the past three months. It is a US common stock, not a REIT, and was not picked last year. It passes every rule and could be chosen. Now consider a $7 stock with the same rating: it fails the price rule. A foreign company trading in the US as an ADR fails the security-type rule. A REIT with a long Strong Buy run fails the sector exclusion. A stock that reached Strong Buy only 40 days ago fails the persistence rule. Running through examples like this makes clear how narrow the eligible pool can be at any moment. ## Why there are exclusions The firm does not explain each exclusion in detail in the help article, but the effect is clear: the price and size floors steer away from very small, thinly traded shares, and excluding REITs and ADRs keeps the portfolio to a consistent type of security. ## How picks interact with your other holdings Alpha Picks does not know what else you own. If you already hold several stocks in a sector it favours, adding more can concentrate your risk. Review sector exposure across your whole portfolio every few months. ## Position sizing Equal amounts per pick keep things simple and avoid over-betting on any one idea. ## Key takeaways - Candidates must hold a Strong Buy rating for 75 consecutive days. - US common stocks only, above $10, with a $500 million average market value; no REITs or ADRs; no repeats within a year. - Two picks a month, with Hold and Sell alerts. - Driven by the quant model, not by contributors or Wall Street. - Members choose how closely to follow it. ## Final word The system's strength is its discipline: clear rules, regular timing and alerts remove much of the guesswork. Its weaknesses are concentration and narrow scope. Used as one part of a broader plan, it can be a useful source of ideas. ## FAQ ### How are stocks chosen? From US common stocks with a Strong Buy quant rating for 75+ days, above $10 and $500M average market cap, excluding REITs and ADRs, and not picked in the past year. ### How often? Twice a month. ### Do members get sell signals? Yes, through Hold and Sell alerts. ### Is it included in Premium? No; it is separate or part of the bundle. ### Are small caps eligible? Only above a $500 million average market cap. ### What does it cost? $499 list; $449 via our offer link in October 2026. ### Can I buy older picks? Members can see the full portfolio and decide whether to buy existing positions. ### Who decides when a pick is sold? Alerts follow changes in the quant rating, according to the service description.