Core Viewpoint - Investors are increasingly focusing on heavily shorted stocks, either to capitalize on further declines in value or to benefit from potential short squeezes [1][3]. Group 1: Characteristics of Heavily Shorted Stocks - A stock is considered "heavily shorted" when a significant number of traders and institutional investors believe it is fundamentally overvalued, leading to expectations of a price decline [2]. - High short interest often indicates a strong conviction among professional traders that the company faces serious risks, while retail traders may see it as an opportunity for rapid gains through a short squeeze [3]. Group 2: Short Squeeze Dynamics - A short squeeze occurs when a stock's price unexpectedly rises, forcing short sellers to buy back shares to cover their positions, which creates a spike in demand and further drives up the price [4]. - The volatility associated with a short squeeze can result in returns that significantly exceed typical stock movements within a short time frame [4]. Group 3: Most Heavily Shorted Stocks - As of December 29, the following stocks are the most heavily shorted, with market caps above $2 billion and free floats above 5 million: - Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) - 54.51% - Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) - 50.20% - Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR) - 48.80% - Revolve Group, Inc. (NYSE:RVLV) - 43.14% - Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW) - 37.13% - MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) - 36.23% - Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:HIMS) - 35.22% - TransMedics Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMDX) - 35.11% - Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) - 34.27% - Northern Oil & Gas, Inc. (NYSE:NOG) - 33.27% [5][6].

Core Insights - Atlas Copco experienced a significant increase in short interest, rising by 70.5% in December to a total of 150,816 shares as of December 15th, compared to 88,447 shares on November 30th [2] - The company's stock opened at $18.28, with a 12-month low of $13.41 and a high of $18.55, and it has a market capitalization of $89.12 billion [3] - Atlas Copco reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.14 for the last quarter, meeting consensus estimates, with revenue of $4.43 billion, slightly above the expected $4.42 billion [4] Financial Performance - The company has a P/E ratio of 32.64 and a P/E/G ratio of 9.19, indicating its valuation relative to growth [3] - Atlas Copco's net margin stands at 16.08% and return on equity at 25.42%, reflecting strong profitability metrics [4] - The debt-to-equity ratio is 0.27, with a current ratio of 1.52 and a quick ratio of 1.09, suggesting a solid financial position [3] Analyst Ratings - Barclays upgraded Atlas Copco from "hold" to "overweight," while Citigroup maintained a "buy" rating [5] - UBS downgraded the stock to "sell," and BNP Paribas upgraded it to "outperform," indicating mixed sentiments among analysts [5][6] - The consensus rating for Atlas Copco is "Hold," with three analysts rating it as Buy, two as Hold, and one as Sell [6] Company Overview - Atlas Copco is a Sweden-based industrial group focused on developing, manufacturing, and servicing equipment for various industries [7] - The company's core activities include compressed air and gas systems, vacuum solutions, construction and mining equipment, and industrial tools [7][8] - Key product categories encompass air compressors, gas generation systems, industrial vacuum pumps, generators, and automated assembly systems [8]

Company Overview - Avon Protection plc is a manufacturer of advanced respiratory protection and personal protective equipment for military, first responder, and industrial markets [3] - The company develops and supplies a range of gas masks, respirators, filters, and related equipment designed to guard against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats as well as airborne particulates encountered in firefighting and industrial applications [3] Product Portfolio - The product portfolio includes battle-focused CBRN protective masks, powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs), emergency escape hoods, and collective protection systems [4] Market Performance - As of December 15th, Avon Protection saw a large decrease in short interest, totaling 600 shares, a decrease of 67.3% from the November 30th total of 1,835 shares [2] - The short-interest ratio is presently 0.8 days based on an average daily volume of 762 shares [2] - Avon Protection opened at C$23.40, with a 1-year low of C$16.74 and a 1-year high of C$28.10 [2] - The firm has a fifty-day simple moving average of C$24.52 and a 200-day simple moving average of C$25.69 [2]

Group 1 - Atresmedia Corporación de Medios de Comunicación experienced a significant increase in short interest, rising by 116.4% from 640 shares on November 30th to 1,385 shares by December 15th [2] - The average daily trading volume is 2,052 shares, resulting in a days-to-cover ratio of 0.7 days [2] - The stock opened at $5.60, with a fifty-day moving average of $6.09 and a 200-day moving average of $6.13 [3] Group 2 - Atresmedia is a leading Spanish multimedia group that operates a diverse portfolio of free-to-air television channels, including flagship networks Antena 3 and laSexta [4] - The company also manages thematic channels such as Neox, Nova, Mega, and Atreseries, catering to various audience segments with a range of content [4] - In addition to television, Atresmedia operates a network of radio stations, including Onda Cero, Europa FM, and Melodía FM [5]

Company Overview - Cannabix Technologies Inc. is a Canada-based developer of biosensor technologies focused on the rapid, non-invasive detection of cannabis impairment [4] - The company's flagship product is a handheld breathalyzer device designed to identify recent use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) within minutes of exhalation, providing a tool for law enforcement and public safety organizations [4] Financial Performance - As of December 15, Cannabix Technologies had a market capitalization of $51.33 million, with a PE ratio of -21.20 and a beta of 0.65 [3] - The stock opened at $0.42, with a twelve-month low of $0.20 and a high of $0.50 [3] - The firm's 50-day moving average price is $0.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $0.41 [3] Short Interest Activity - There was a significant increase in short interest for Cannabix Technologies during December, with total short interest reaching 52,257 shares, a growth of 105.8% from 25,390 shares on November 30 [2] - Currently, 0.0% of the shares are short sold, and the short-interest ratio is 0.2 days based on an average daily trading volume of 221,578 shares [2][2]

Core Insights - Lennar Corporation experienced a significant decline in short interest, with a reduction of 67.8% from 35,737,570 shares on November 30 to 11,521,372 shares by December 15 [2] - The company reported quarterly earnings of $2.03 per share, missing the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.27, while revenue was $9.37 billion, exceeding the estimate of $9.17 billion [4] - Lennar declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, resulting in an annualized dividend of $2.00 and a yield of 1.9% [5] Stock Performance - Shares of Lennar opened at $105.00, with a market capitalization of $26.78 billion, a PE ratio of 13.14, and a beta of 1.38 [3] - The stock has a 50-day moving average of $121.80 and a 200-day moving average of $121.55, with a 1-year low of $98.42 and a 1-year high of $144.24 [3] Institutional Holdings - Several hedge funds increased their stakes in Lennar, with The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company growing its position by 45.4% to own 8,894,125 shares valued at $1.02 billion [7] - Institutional investors own 81.10% of Lennar's stock, indicating strong institutional interest [7] Analyst Ratings - Analyst ratings for Lennar vary, with one analyst giving a Strong Buy rating, three a Buy rating, eight a Hold rating, and seven a Sell rating [9] - Bank of America set a target price of $95.00, down from $125.00, while UBS Group lowered their price objective from $161.00 to $137.00 [8]

Company Overview - IHI Corporation, originally known as Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, is a Japanese engineering and industrial conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, specializing in the design, manufacture, and servicing of heavy machinery, equipment, and integrated systems for industrial and infrastructure markets [3]. Stock Performance - IHI shares opened at $18.01, with a 12-month low of $6.78 and a high of $23.32. The company has a market capitalization of $19.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.17, and a beta of 0.75. The 50-day moving average is $19.20, while the 200-day moving average is $24.01. The quick ratio stands at 0.71, the current ratio at 1.15, and the debt-to-equity ratio at 0.70 [1]. Analyst Ratings - Goldman Sachs downgraded IHI from a "strong-buy" to a "hold" rating on October 23rd. Currently, one investment analyst has rated the stock as "Hold," leading to a consensus rating of "Hold" according to MarketBeat data [2]. Sector Activities - IHI's principal activities encompass several sectors, including aerospace, energy, and industrial machinery [4]. Short Interest - IHI experienced a significant decline in short interest, with a total of 4,726 shares shorted as of December 15th, representing a 68.2% decrease from 14,859 shares on November 30th. The short-interest ratio is currently 0.1 days, with approximately 0.0% of the company's stock short sold [6].

Group 1 - Permanent TSB Group Holdings plc experienced a significant decline in short interest, with a total of 14,299 shares as of December 15th, representing a 67.9% decrease from 44,563 shares on November 30th [2] - The days-to-cover ratio based on an average trading volume of 41,453 shares is currently 0.3 days [2] - The stock opened at $3.53, with a 1-year low of $1.60 and a 1-year high of $3.73, while the fifty-day moving average price is $3.38 and the two-hundred-day moving average price is $2.77 [3] Group 2 - Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an "underperform" rating on Permanent TSB Group shares, with one investment analyst rating the stock as a Sell, leading to a consensus rating of "Sell" [4] - Permanent TSB Group plc is a retail bank based in Dublin, Ireland, serving personal, mortgage, and small business customers, offering a range of financial solutions including current accounts, savings products, and digital banking services [5] - The core lending activities of Permanent TSB revolve around home mortgages and personal loans [6]

Summary of Key Points Core Viewpoint - The total short interest in Nasdaq securities has increased, indicating a growing bearish sentiment among investors as of December 15, 2025 Group 1: Nasdaq Global Market - Short interest in 3,486 Nasdaq Global Market securities totaled 15,012,659,234 shares, up from 14,879,370,342 shares in the previous reporting period [1] - The mid-December short interest represents an average of 2.90 days, compared to 2.22 days in the prior reporting period [1] Group 2: Nasdaq Capital Market - Short interest in 1,683 securities on The Nasdaq Capital Market reached 3,369,741,795 shares, an increase from 3,311,934,829 shares in the previous period [2] - This represents an average daily volume of 1.29 days, up from 1.00 days in the previous reporting period [2] Group 3: Overall Nasdaq Securities - Total short interest across all 5,169 Nasdaq securities was 18,382,401,029 shares, compared to 18,191,305,171 shares in the previous reporting period [3] - The average daily volume for this total is 2.36 days, an increase from 1.82 days in the prior reporting period [3] Group 4: Short Sale Definition - A short sale is defined as the sale of a security that the seller does not own or any sale consummated by the delivery of a borrowed security [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the current landscape of heavily shorted stocks, highlighting the reasons traders engage in short selling and the potential for short squeezes as investment opportunities [2][3][4]. Summary by Sections Heavily Shorted Stocks - Stocks become heavily shorted when experienced traders and institutional investors believe the company is fundamentally overvalued, anticipating a price decline [2]. - Short sellers borrow shares, sell them at high prices, and aim to repurchase them at lower prices for profit, indicating a strong conviction about the company's risks [3]. Current Market Data - As of December 10, 2025, the top 10 most shorted stocks with market caps above $2 billion and free floats above 5 million are listed, ranked by short interest percentage [5]. - The most heavily shorted stock is Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID) with a short interest of 52.70%, followed by Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR) at 51.53% and Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) at 49.05% [6][7]. Market Characteristics - Heavily shorted stocks often reflect a battleground between negative fundamentals and speculative trading, where short squeezes can lead to significant, rapid gains but also come with high risk and volatility [8]. - Monitoring short interest can help identify potential short squeeze candidates, although timing such trades is challenging [8].