Welcome to this week’s installment of “The Short Interest Report" - The Fly's weekly recap of short interest trends among some of the most widely followed high-short-float stocks. Using the data from our partner Ortex.com, which utilizes the latest information from stock lenders to estimate short interest changes for thousands of publicly traded companies, this version will screen for some of biggest changes in short interest as a percentage of free float and days-to-cover ratios. This report will also continue to layer the short interest data on some of the more volatile and heavier-traded names of the week. Based on the availability of data from Ortex, the report will continue to track the trading period that covers prior Friday through Thursday of this week. 

As a basis of comparison, the S&P 500 index was up 1.2%, the Russell 2000 index was up 1.8%, the Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) was up 0.8%, and the Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) was up 1.5% in the period range.

FISKER SHORT INTEREST BACK ABOVE 20%

Estimated short interest in Fisker (FSR) had tracked in the mid 30’s-low 40’s percent range in the final week of June and first week of July, but the bearishness had receded to mid teens as of last week. On Monday, however, short interest as a percentage of free float spiked back above 20% and by Wednesday, it had increased to 25% without any apparent news to drive the flows. Shares of Fisker were up 2.5% in the five-day trading period covered.

ATARA BIOTHERAPEUTICS SHORT INTEREST RISES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK

Estimated short interest in Atara Biotherapeutics (ATRA) had also declined precipitously following its early June spike toward 70%, falling to a 10%-low just two weeks ago. Over the past two weeks, however, the short position in the stock is once again ticking higher, notching five percentage points for the week to 18%, with days-to-cover ratio on the stock also rising about 10% to 3.7. Shares of Atara Biotherapeutics were flat in the five-day trading period covered.

NIKOLA SHORT INTEREST REACHES THREE-WEEK HIGH AS STOCK SLIDES

Estimated short interest in Nikola (NKLA) had risen in four of the five trading sessions this week, reaching a three-week high of 27.6%, while the days-to-cover ratio was up 24% at 6.8. The stock traded in a narrow range in the earlier part of the week but volatility picked up on Thursday as news broke that company founder Trevor Milton was charged with securities fraud. Nikola shares slid to a two-month low in the session and for the five-day trading period covered shares were down 14.0%.

ARCIMOTO, MACY’S SHORT INTEREST DECLINES

Arcimoto (FUV) and Macy’s (M) are this week’s highlights among the short interest decliners in our Ortex-driven screen. The estimated short interest in Arcimoto had fallen for eight consecutive session before a slight bounce over the past two days, and for the week, it is down over five percentage points at 29.1%. This week’s low of 28.6% is also the lowest level in two months. For Macy’s, the estimated short position has tracked lower for the past seven consecutive sessions, matching a seven-week low at 10.5%. For the week, Macy’s short position has fallen six percentage points and its days-to-cover ratio was down 16% at 1.34. In the five-day trading period covered, Arcimoto shares are up 2.1%, while those of Macy’s are down 1.9%.