Triple Top and Triple Bottom Pattern

Last updated: September 2026

Disclosure: The section on tracking the pattern uses its tools.

Quick answer: Triple Top and Triple Bottom are mirror-image reversal chart patterns in technical analysis. A triple top after an uptrend turns bearish on a close below the lowest intervening low Investopedia. A triple bottom after a downtrend turns bullish on a close above the highest intervening high (the neckline) TradingView. Volume often contracts as the pattern forms Investopedia.

At a glance

How to identify the triple top and triple bottom pattern

Triple Top and Triple Bottom each show three tests of a horizontal price level; the trend reversal is confirmed by a decisive break of the opposite side.

• Trend first: a triple top follows an uptrend; a triple bottom follows a downtrend Investopedia.
• Structure: three visually similar peaks (top) or three troughs (bottom); exact equality is not required (Investopedia).
• Neckline: the two intervening swing lows (tops) or swing highs (bottoms) define the support level or resistance level to watch (Investopedia).
• Confirmation: many practitioners require a closing break beyond the neckline; the CMT curriculum lists close-based and quantitative filters (for example, a 3% rule or an ATR — Average True Range — multiple) as alternatives CMT Association, Program Guide 2026.
• Volume: often contracts during formation and expands on confirmation Investopedia.

Practical identification tips:
– Require clear swings: each test of the level should be separated by a meaningful counter‑move; tiny jiggles within one swing do not constitute new peaks or troughs (Investopedia).
– Tolerance around equality: visual similarity matters more than exact price equality. Slightly higher/lower third peak or third trough is acceptable; the decisive information is the confirming close (Investopedia).
– Filters reduce noise: use close‑based confirmation plus a quantitative filter (for example, a 3% or ATR threshold) to distinguish true breaks from fleeting pierces CMT Association, Program Guide 2026.
– Level polarity: after confirmation, the neckline often flips role — support becomes resistance for triple tops; resistance becomes support for triple bottoms — especially during retests (ThePatternSite).

Quality checklist:
– Prior trend is established (up for triple top, down for triple bottom).
– Three tests occur near a common price level with two intervening swings.
– Neckline is well‑defined and price closes beyond it to confirm.
– Volume often contracts into the pattern and can expand on confirmation (Investopedia).

Why the triple top and triple bottom pattern forms

These patterns are interpreted as repeated failure at a key price level that shifts control once the level breaks. For tops, three rallies stall at resistance; a break below support signals sellers taking over (Investopedia).

For bottoms, the inverse applies: three selloffs fail to push price to new lows with conviction, suggesting supply is being absorbed. A close above the neckline indicates buyers are willing to lift offers and shift control (Investopedia).

How traders trade the triple top and triple bottom pattern: entries, stops, and targets

Triple Top and Triple Bottom are usually traded on confirmation with defined risk.

• Entry: Buy a triple bottom on a confirmed close above the neckline; sell/short a triple top on a confirmed close below support. Some trade intraday breaks; others require a close Investopedia.
• Breakout vs. pullback entry: Given the high throwback rate in triple bottoms (see Evidence), some traders plan to enter or add on a retest of the neckline from above. Breakout entries risk whipsaws; pullback entries risk missing a clean trend change (ThePatternSite).
• Stops: Conservative stops sit beyond the opposite extreme; tighter stops just beyond the neckline reduce risk but increase whipsaw odds Investopedia.
• Targets: A common measured move adds (bottoms) or subtracts (tops) the pattern’s height from the breakout/breakdown Investopedia. Bulkowski’s “measure rule” scales height by the share of patterns reaching targets (see Evidence; source: ThePatternSite).

Illustration (triple bottom): Suppose a triple bottom prints lows at 48, 49, and 48.20, with intervening highs near 55–56. The neckline is 56. Height ≈ 56 − 48 = 8. Entry: a daily close at 56.20. Tighter stop: 55.40 (just below the neckline). Wider stop: 47.80 (below the lowest trough). Target ≈ 56 + 8 = 64.

• Risk with tight stop: 56.20 − 55.40 = 0.80 per share; Reward to 64: 64.00 − 56.20 = 7.80; R:R ≈ 9.75.
• Risk with wide stop: 56.20 − 47.80 = 8.40; Reward: 7.80; R:R ≈ 0.93.

Illustration (triple top): Peaks print at 80.10, 79.60, and 80.00, with valleys near 72–73; the neckline is 72. Height ≈ 80 − 72 = 8. Entry: a daily close at 71.50. Tighter stop: 72.60 (just above the neckline). Wider stop: 80.40 (above the highest peak). Target ≈ 72 − 8 = 64.

• Risk with tight stop: 1.10 per share; Reward to 64: 7.50; R:R ≈ 6.8.
• Risk with wide stop: 8.90; Reward: 7.50; R:R ≈ 0.84.

Busted variants and exits: A triple bottom that breaks out and then drops below the pattern’s lowest low is considered busted; Bulkowski advises exiting below the bottom in such cases ThePatternSite. A triple top that breaks down but then reverses and closes above the top is a “busted triple top,” which Bulkowski treats as a separate long setup ThePatternSite.

What the evidence says about the triple top and triple bottom pattern

Bulkowski’s summaries cover structure, volume, and outcomes. For triple bottoms, he reports a throwback rate of 65%, an average rise of 46%, and 74% of patterns meeting his price target. These figures are based on more than 2,500 “perfect trades.” The page does not disclose the study period, and it does not state whether “perfect trades” reflect slippage or commissions ThePatternSite.

Bulkowski’s measure rule for triple bottoms computes height from the highest intervening peak to the lowest trough, scales it by the “percentage meeting price target,” and adds that to the breakout.

For triple tops, Bulkowski writes that they rank toward the bottom of his performance list. He notes a higher‑than‑liked failure rate and a “meager” average decline; volume trends down 62% of the time. Statistics are based on 1,964 “perfect trades,” and the page notes an update on 8/27/2020 (historical) ThePatternSite. He also observes that more triple tops appear in bear markets and that pullbacks tend to hurt post‑breakdown performance.

Other educational sources stress context and confirmation. They do not publish comparable statistics. They note patterns often form over weeks or months, that volume often contracts during formation and expands on confirmation, and that completion definitions vary between “close” and intraday breaks (Investopedia). In practice, these definitional differences affect any rules‑based test, which is why some training materials suggest using explicit thresholds such as a 3% rule or ATR multiples to operationalize confirmation CMT Association, Program Guide 2026.

Analysts commonly add indicator confirmation such as RSI or MACD alongside the chart pattern to filter signals (Investopedia).

When the triple top and triple bottom pattern fails

Triple Top and Triple Bottom failures cluster into three patterns of behavior.

• False break: Price pierces the neckline but does not close beyond it, or closes beyond it and quickly reclaims the level without volume follow‑through. The symptom is a swift return inside the range Investopedia. What it looks like: long wicks through the neckline or one to two bars outside the level followed by immediate reversal back inside.
• Pullbacks/throwbacks: After confirmation, price revisits the neckline. For triple bottoms, Bulkowski reports a 65% throwback rate (sample: >2,500 perfect trades; period: not disclosed) ThePatternSite. Symptom: a retest of the breakout level from above. This can offer a secondary entry but also risks eroding momentum if price stalls under the retest (ThePatternSite).
• Busted patterns: A triple top breaks down, then reverses and closes above the top. Bulkowski treats the reclaim above the top as a separate long setup ThePatternSite. A triple bottom breaks out, then falls below the pattern’s bottom; Bulkowski advises exiting below the bottom ThePatternSite. On the chart, a busted pattern often prints a decisive close through the opposite boundary with expanding range.

Look‑alikes and how to tell them apart

Tracking triple tops and bottoms on a chart in TakeProfit

• Draw the neckline: use Ray or Standard Line to mark the support level (for triple tops) or resistance level (for triple bottoms). Label peaks/troughs to track the three tests TakeProfit Docs — Line tools.
• Measure the height: read the distance from the neckline to the highest peak (tops) or lowest trough (bottoms) to project a measured move. Annotate this height “H” to visualize the target zone.
• Keep trend context visible: add Rays/Trendlines to show the prior uptrend/downtrend leading into the structure (Line tools guide above).

Limitation and transparency: as of September 2026, the TakeProfit docs do not list automatic triple top/bottom detection or alerting on level breaks; drawing and monitoring are manual (Line tools guide above). For comparison, TradingView documents automatic detection for a triple bottom chart pattern and requires a close above the neckline for confirmation TradingView.

FAQ

• Is a triple top bullish or bearish?
  Bearish reversal after an uptrend; confirmation occurs on a close below the lowest intervening low (Investopedia).

• Is a triple bottom bullish or bearish?
  Bullish reversal after a downtrend; confirmation is a close above the highest intervening high/neckline Investopedia.

• How do you identify triple top and triple bottom patterns?
  Confirm prior trend, find three similar extremes with two intervening swings forming the neckline, and require a decisive break (often a close). Volume often contracts, then expands on confirmation (Investopedia).

• How do you trade them?
  Enter on the confirming break/close, place stops beyond the opposite extreme or just past the neckline, and project a measured move using pattern height. Expect possible retests (Investopedia).

This article is not investment advice; it is for educational purposes only. See the Line tools guide: TakeProfit docs: line tools