Three stocks heading into earnings are generating sharp options signals on September 2, with short sellers and put buyers lining up ahead of key prints.
C3.ai carries the most extreme positioning. Short interest sits at 34.2% of free float. Bears are "entrenched," per ORTEX data, with a short score of 71.4 out of 100. The cost to borrow remains low at 0.5%, meaning shorts are not under pressure yet. Analysts have a -18.5% average return potential on the stock. Options sentiment is firmly negative heading into the Q1 2027 print.
Petco draws bearish options attention today ahead of its results. Short interest is 22% of free float. ORTEX flagged bears circling with a short score of 68.2. Availability is ample at 450% of short interest, leaving room for more downside bets.
Casey's General Stores tells the opposite story. Options flow has turned bullish despite a 12% price drop. Short interest is just 2.9% of free float. Availability stands at over 2,000% of SI — essentially no squeeze risk. Bulls appear to be betting on a recovery from oversold levels. RSI sits at 31.9, deep in oversold territory.
Yext rounds out the watch list. Calls are cooling after a recent run. The stock is down 16% year-to-date. Analysts see -26% further downside from current levels. Short interest is moderate at 7.7% of free float, but DTC of 6.3 days keeps some squeeze potential alive.
The broader options tone across US markets leans cautious. September seasonality and elevated macro uncertainty — with the Fed's forward path still debated — are keeping hedging demand alive.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
