Bears Double Down: Short Sellers Circle Wolfspeed and Hertz

Short sellers sharpened their positions on several well-known names this week. Data from ORTEX as of 29 October shows the clearest movers and some notable extremes across the market.

WOLF sits at 88.6% SI of free float. That number has barely budged, but the cost to borrow is just 1.88%, suggesting bears are comfortable holding. HTZ sits at 73.5% SI of free float with a cost to borrow of 40%, one of the highest among mid-cap names. Shorts are paying a real premium to stay in that trade.

The week's biggest mover was LQDA (Liquidia Corporation). Short interest jumped 8.1 percentage points in seven days to 26.6% of free float. GRND (Grindr) also saw a sharp rise, up 4.9 points to 19.4% of free float.

CBRS (Cerebras Systems) attracted attention on social platforms this week. Short interest rose 5.2 points to 20.1% of free float. The AI chip company has been a frequent discussion topic as investors debate its long-term viability against entrenched rivals.

EVCM (EverCommerce) holds the highest ORTEX short score among tracked names at 97. Its cost to borrow has reached 87.6%, signalling lenders are feeling the strain.

In consumer names, BOBS (Bob's Discount Furniture) saw a 6 point SI rise to 31.3% of free float. GRPN (Groupon) sits at 68.2%, down from recent highs, with sentiment on social channels split between squeeze hopes and continued scepticism. Meanwhile, FLWS (1-800-FLOWERS.COM) holds 79.2% SI with days to cover above 25, making it one of the harder names to exit quickly.