Does Stochastic %K/%D cross actually work on SPY? We tested it
We ran Stochastic %K/%D cross on SPY through walk-forward testing and a 100-run random-entry gauntlet. 4 of 4 unseen periods positive. Beat 95 of 100 random-entry runs.
You gave up raw return for a higher win rate and a shallower drawdown. This setup is about timing and staying out of trouble, not beating the index.
Equity curve over Aug 2016 to Jul 2026. Hover any point for its value. Turn on buy and hold to compare.
The same rules, tested on 28 tickers. Edge held on 7. We ship it on those.
Show every ticker we tested
This strategy made money overall, turning a 46% total return on SPY with a very high win rate of nearly 96%, meaning almost every trade was a winner. However, the ride was not smooth; the worst drawdown hit -16.44% and lasted from January to April 2025, which is a significant and painful stretch. The high win rate and modest average gain of 1.69% per trade suggest the result is not driven by a few big winners, but rather by many small, consistent wins. The entry-timing edge is strong, with real entries beating 95% of random entry runs, so the entry signal itself is doing the heavy lifting rather than the exits. The consistency figure shows the edge held up across all four walk-forward periods, so the profit did not come from one lucky stretch.
Every verdict on this page comes from the same process. How we test.
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