DTM Short Interest Jumps as Bulls and Bears Square Off at the Print

DT Midstream reports Q2 results today with short interest having made a notable move since the last preview, even as the broader positioning picture remains far from alarmed.

The most meaningful change heading into this print is the acceleration in short selling. Short interest climbed 11% on the week to 4.27% of the free float — up 23% over the past month — a material step up from the 3.85% level noted in ORTEX's preview published four days ago. That shift is worth flagging as a genuine development, not noise. Despite the increase, the borrow market remains relaxed: availability is running near 989%, meaning shares to lend vastly outnumber those already borrowed. Cost to borrow is just 0.47%, down 8% on the week. There is no squeeze dynamic in play. The stock itself has pulled back — down 7.5% over the past month to $136.77, against a one-week decline of 6.4% — a sharper move than close peers WMB (-5.8%), TRGP (-6.0%), and AM (-6.3%), though those names also sold off meaningfully. Options positioning remains extraordinarily muted, with the put/call ratio at 0.060 — barely above its 20-day average and close to the bottom of its 52-week range. Hedgers have not shown up.

The analytical debate centres on whether DTM's contract-protected growth story justifies a multiple that has compressed but still looks stretched. Bulls point to a $3.4 billion organic backlog — up 50% — and a 5–7% annual dividend growth target backed by take-or-pay contracts. Jefferies raised its target to $170 earlier this month, and UBS and Citi both lifted targets after the prior print. The consensus target of $156.93 implies roughly 15% upside from current levels. Bears argue the stock carries $3.32 billion in debt, relies heavily on Expand Energy for revenue, and remains concentrated in Haynesville and the Northeast — a setup that amplifies exposure to any demand or regulatory disruption. Goldman Sachs holds a Sell with a $127 target, and with the stock now trading below most consensus targets, the burden of proof falls on management guidance rather than current fundamentals.

The earnings report will therefore test whether the guidance upgrade cycle that drove target increases through May and July can survive a stock that has given back its post-Q1 gains — and whether the fresh wave of short selling reflects a tactical hedge or a genuine reassessment of the growth runway.