The unexpected upheaval of GameStop (NYSE:GME) stock has shined a new light on the dangers (and potential profits) of short selling. Though these companies are often under-loved by institutional and regular investors alike, a small number of fans can cause a “short squeeze,” a phenomenon where rising stock prices force short-sellers out of their positions.
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The Most Shorted Companies
This year, the top 33 most shorted companies have averaged a 142% combined return, easily beating the 2.5% of the broader market. With retail investors seeking their next short squeeze target, here are the most shorted companies in the U.S. right now.
| Ticker | Company Name | Short Interest % | YTD Return | Market Cap ($ Millions) |
| NYSE:GME | GameStop | 88.6% | 1,744.5% | 24,238 |
| NASDAQ:LGND | Ligand Pharmaceuticals | 62.2% | 63.8% | 2,620 |
| NASDAQ:BBBY | Bed Bath & Beyond | 61.8% | 197.8% | 6,411 |
| NYSE:FUBO | Fubotv | 58.0% | 67.0% | 3,159 |
| NYSE:SKT | Tanger Factory Outlet Centers | 50.6% | 79.3% | 1,669 |
| NYSE:MAC | Macerich Co | 48.9% | 109.7% | 3,595 |
| NASDAQ:CLVS | Clovis Oncology | 40.9% | 65.4% | 701 |
| NASDAQ:ESPR | Esperion Therapeutics | 39.7% | 34.7% | 976 |
| NASDAQ:AMCX | AMC Networks | 37.9% | 34.9% | 1,991 |
| NASDAQ:IRBT | iRobot | 37.5% | 100.7% | 4,533 |
| NASDAQ:DISCA | Discovery | 36.2% | 45.8% | 18,168 |
| NYSE:BGS | B&G Foods | 36.0% | 48.0% | 2,638 |
| NASDAQ:PLCE | Children’s Place | 35.3% | 45.1% | 1,060 |
| NYSE:SRG | Seritage Growth Properties | 34.3% | 37.1% | 778 |
| NASDAQ:PETS | Petmed Express | 31.2% | 61.6% | 1,050 |
| NASDAQ:VXRT | Vaxart | 30.4% | 62.9% | 1,018 |
| NASDAQ:INO | Inovio Pharmaceuticals | 30.0% | 41.2% | 2,551 |
| NASDAQ:PRTS | Carparts.Com | 29.0% | 42.0% | 843 |
| NASDAQ:EQOS | Diginex | 28.9% | -3.8% | 115 |
| NYSE:M | Macy’s | 28.6% | 57.6% | 5,505 |
| NYSE:IFF | International Flavors & Fragrances | 28.0% | 1.9% | 11,864 |
| NASDAQ:WKHS | Workhorse Group | 27.9% | 75.9% | 4,194 |
| NYSE:AMC | AMC Entertainment Holdings | 27.8% | 838.7% | 6,748 |
| NASDAQ:SPWR | SunPower | 27.3% | 104.1% | 8,906 |
| NYSE:GSX | GSX Techedu | 27.1% | 176.0% | 34,025 |
| NASDAQ:SRNE | Sorrento Therapeutics | 26.8% | 123.2% | 4,005 |
| NASDAQ:TLRY | Tilray | 25.7% | 124.6% | 2,477 |
| NASDAQ:RIOT | Riot Blockchain | 25.7% | 5.5% | 913 |
| NASDAQ:CAKE | Cheesecake Factory | 25.6% | 34.7% | 2,275 |
| NASDAQ:TRHC | Tabula Rasa HealthCare | 25.6% | 46.4% | 1,494 |
| NASDAQ:AAL | American Airlines Group | 25.2% | 5.0% | 10,019 |
| NYSE:UNFI | United Natural Foods | 25.0% | 86.7% | 1,674 |
| NYSE:CNK | Cinemark Holdings Inc | 24.7.0% | 26.5% | 2,601 |
Data courtesy of Thompson Reuters
Disclaimer
On the date of publication, Tom Yeung did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
About the Author
Tom Yeung, CFA, is a registered investment advisor on a mission to bring simplicity to the world of investing.
