Bears Circle Hertz as Squeeze Candidates Build Up

Short sellers are pushing hard into rental car and EV names. Hertz Global Holdings tops the most-stressed list. SI stands at 73.4% of free float. The cost to borrow has surged to 470% APR, with availability at zero. Shares are down 11% over the past three months.

Wolfspeed carries the heaviest short burden of any sizeable US stock. SI sits at 88.9% of free float. Availability is zero and shares have fallen 26% in three months. The semiconductor firm is loss-making, and EPS estimates have dropped sharply.

Lucid Group remains a magnet for bears. SI reached 66.1% of free float on 5 November. The stock is down 57% over three months. Availability is just 1.2%, meaning fresh shorts have almost nowhere to borrow.

1-800-Flowers.com stands out for its days-to-cover reading of nearly 25. SI is 74.2% of free float. EPS estimates have fallen 33% in the past month. With the holiday season approaching, traders appear to be betting the floral retailer will disappoint.

Among movers this week, MGM Resorts International saw SI climb from 12.1% to 14.3% of free float in seven days, a rise of 2.25 percentage points. That is the largest increase among US names with market caps above $500 million.

Polestar reports earnings on 12 November. SI is a relatively modest 3.98% of free float. However, the cost to borrow is 268% APR and availability is only 8.5%. ORTEX alt data shows Dutch car registrations, a leading indicator for Polestar revenue, running 68% below the same quarter last year.

Groupon continues to attract attention on social platforms. SI holds near 68.3% of free float, stable over the past week but up from 64% a month ago. Days to cover stands at 9.4.