Bears Pile Into Chewy and Hertz as AI Stocks Wobble

Short sellers have been busy this week. CHWY saw the biggest move. SI % of free float jumped 14 points in seven days to 80.4%. Bears are loading up ahead of the next earnings test.

HTZ tells a similar story. Hertz short interest rose nearly 8 points to 84.1% of free float. Shares available to borrow: zero. That creates classic squeeze conditions if any positive catalyst hits.

Chip Names Draw Fire

Broader market headlines flagged the AI selloff this week. WOLF — the semiconductor play — sits at 80.6% SI % of FF with zero borrow availability and a cost to borrow of 5.85%. That is pain for anyone late to the trade.

Short Covering Hits Pharma

Not all the news is bearish. MDGL saw shorts cover hard. SI dropped nearly 10 points to 14%. ELF shed 8 points to 12.25%. CRWV also saw covering of nearly 8 points, landing at 20.3% — notable given the spotlight on AI infrastructure names.

Highest Short Scores

SNSE holds the top ORTEX short score at 99. Its borrow cost is 222% APR. LUCK scores 96 with 47 days-to-cover — that is extreme squeeze fuel if sentiment turns.

Short interest data via ORTEX as of July 28, 2026. This is not financial advice.