The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) shares have caught our attention after a recent volatility scan. Focusing on the ATR or average true range, we can see that the current level is 2.53. The ATR or average true range was developed by J. Welles Wilder. The ATR tracks the distance that the stock price is moving each period. The ATR may be used by investors and traders to gauge when markets are likely to range, when extreme stock price levels are being approached, or if there is significant interest in a trend. ATR may be used as an indicator, but it may not predict anything by itself. Higher ATR’s may indicate that the stock is trending, and smaller ATR’s may be indicitive of stock price consolidation. The ATR range will be positive whether or not shares are trending up or down. ATR may allow traders to more accurately buy or sell into certain trends. 

Investors might be preparing to do a portfolio evaluation as we move towards the close of the year. There may be plenty of big winners from the first half of the year, but there may also be some underperformers that need to be reviewed. Making sure that the portfolio stays in balance can help prepare the investor for success over the next few quarters. With the stock market still riding high, investors may be wondering how to play the market into the near future. If market momentum starts to shift, investors may need to be ready to make some tougher decisions. Being prepared for any market situation can help the investor cope with rough waters when the time comes.      

At current stock price levels, we have noted that The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) shares are separated -12.62% from the 52 week high and 72.81% off of the 52 week low. From the open, the stock has seen a change of -0.38%. Looking at some other high/low data, the stock has been seen trading -10.62% away from the 50 day high and 6.80% off of the 50 day low. In terms of volume, the current value is near 850864. Investors may be keeping a close eye on unusual trading volume on company shares. A large increase or decrease in trading volume may suggest that other factors are present.

Tracking some historical performance information for The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG), we have noted that performance for the previous week is 2.07%. YTD, the stock has performed 62.97%. Over the last full-year, shares have performed 50.07%. For the previous month, company shares are -1.95%. For the last quarter, the stock has performed -7.65%. Tracking some recent volatility numbers, shares are 2.32% for the week, and 2.24% for the past month.

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) has a current consensus broker rating of 2.40. This rating follows a scale where a 1 or a 2 would represent a consensus Buy recommendation. A rating of 4 or 5 would indicate a consensus Sell recommendation. A rating of 3 would represent a Hold recommendation. Checking in on the RSI or relative strength index, we see that the 14-day level is 46.94. The RSI operates in a range-bound area with values between 0 and 100. When the RSI line heads higher, the stock may be showing strength. The opposite is the case when the RSI line is moving down. RSI may be used to spot overbought or oversold conditions. An RSI reading over 70 would be considered overbought, and a value under 30 would indicate oversold conditions. A level of 50 would represent neutral market momentum.

Investing in the stock market can sometimes draw intense emotion from individual investors. When the market slips into a chaotic state, some investors may let their emotions get the best of them which can lead to impulsive decisions. On the other side of the coin, market chaos may cause certain investors to freeze in a panic. This may mean that the investor becomes shaken to the point that they are unable to make any decisions let alone an educated one. Discipline is a quality shared by many successful traders and investors. Staying committed to the plan, whether short-term or long-term, can help investors make it through those times of extreme market uncertainty.