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Most Shorted Stocks: The Highest Short Interest as of Sep 30, 2026
Lucid Group (LCID) had 62.0% of its float sold short, against 4.77% for the median stock. The most shorted stocks, the largest companies with high short interest, where it is rising fastest, by sector, and what days to cover and squeeze risk mean.
Key takeaways
- As of the Sep 30, 2026 short-interest settlement date, Lucid Group (LCID) was the most shorted of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage, with 62.0% of its float sold short and 8.6 days to cover.
- The median stock had 4.77% of its float sold short on Sep 30, 2026, while at least 30 stocks had more than 20%, out of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage.
- Among companies worth $50 billion or more, Southern Copper (SCCO) had the highest short interest, 11.6% of float, ahead of NIKE (NKE) at 8.4% (Sep 30, 2026).
- Short interest rose most at Ondas (ONDS): from 2.5% of float a year earlier to 42.9% on Sep 30, 2026, up 40.3 percentage points.
- By sector, Communication Services stocks had the highest median short interest (7.00% of float) and Energy the lowest (3.87%), as of Sep 30, 2026.
In this article
- Which stocks are the most shorted right now?
- What is short interest, and what counts as high?
- What is days to cover?
- Which large companies have the highest short interest?
- Where is short interest rising fastest?
- Which sectors are shorted most?
- What is a short squeeze, and which stocks are most exposed?
- Is high short interest a bad sign?
- Method and caveats
Which stocks are the most shorted right now?
Lucid Group (LCID) tops the list: 62.0% of its float was sold short at the Sep 30, 2026 settlement date, against 23.7% a year earlier. The 20 most shorted of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage:
| Stock | Short % of float | Days to cover | A year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Group (LCID) | 62.0% | 8.6 | 23.7% |
| NeoGenomics (NEO) | 60.5% | 5.7 | 27.8% |
| NuScale Power (SMR) | 58.7% | 2.0 | 22.6% |
| Prime Medicine (PRME) | 54.0% | 8.4 | 26.6% |
| Paramount Skydance (PSKY) | 50.3% | 3.6 | 20.1% |
| Fluence Energy (FLNC) | 47.3% | 3.1 | 29.1% |
| Ondas (ONDS) | 42.9% | 3.4 | 2.5% |
| SoundHound AI (SOUN) | 39.6% | 9.7 | 25.6% |
| Recursion Pharmaceuticals (RXRX) | 37.9% | 6.1 | 30.3% |
| Eos Energy Enterprises (EOSE) | 37.8% | 4.7 | 23.1% |
| Summit Therapeutics (SMMT) | 37.3% | 4.8 | 29.3% |
| Tango Therapeutics (TNGX) | 36.9% | 12.5 | 30.1% |
| Virgin Galactic Holdings (SPCE) | 36.8% | 5.6 | 10.4% |
| Rackspace Technology (RXT) | 35.7% | 4.2 | 7.5% |
| Redwire (RDW) | 35.5% | 3.2 | 11.6% |
| Strive (ASST) | 35.3% | 2.6 | 21.4% |
| Solaris Energy Infrastructure (SEI) | 34.4% | 6.2 | 25.6% |
| Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) | 33.7% | 9.5 | 23.1% |
| Quantum Computing (QUBT) | 33.6% | 8.6 | 18.1% |
| FuelCell Energy (FCEL) | 32.1% | 4.6 | 2.6% |
Even the 30th most shorted stock had 28.3% of its float sold short. Heavily shorted stocks tend to be companies where investors disagree sharply about the future: early-stage businesses that are not yet profitable, firms that need to raise money, or companies facing a specific threat. Short interest says how many investors are betting on a fall, not whether they are right.
What is short interest, and what counts as high?
For the typical US stock it is low: the median company in Exent’s coverage had 4.77% of its float sold short on Sep 30, 2026. Short interest is the number of shares that investors have borrowed and sold, and not yet bought back. Brokers report those positions to FINRA twice a month, on a mid-month and a month-end settlement date, and the figures are published a few business days later. See short interest for the basics.
4.77%Median short interest, % of float997 stocks
62.0%Highest: Lucid Group (LCID)
30+Stocks above 20% of float
The share is measured against the float, the shares that are free to trade, not every share outstanding, so a company whose founders or a parent company hold most of the stock can show a high figure on a modest number of shares. Many investors treat anything above 10% of float as high and above 20% as very high.
What is days to cover?
Days to cover is the number of shares sold short divided by the average daily trading volume: how many days of normal trading it would take for every short seller to buy back. Among the most shorted stocks, Ocugen (OCGN) had the longest, at 13.7 days on Sep 30, 2026. A high figure means the exit is narrow: if the price starts to rise, short sellers compete for the same limited volume, which can make the rise steeper. A stock can have a high share of float sold short but trade so heavily that days to cover stays low, as several names in the table above show.
Which large companies have the highest short interest?
Among companies worth $50 billion or more, Southern Copper (SCCO) had the highest short interest, 11.6% of float, ahead of NIKE (NKE) at 8.4% (Sep 30, 2026). Short interest in very large companies is usually far lower than in small ones, because there are more shares to borrow and more holders on the other side.
| Stock | Short % of float | Days to cover | Market value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Copper (SCCO) | 11.63% | 10.9 | $175.0 billion |
| NIKE (NKE) | 8.42% | 2.6 | $58.6 billion |
| Lumentum Holdings (LITE) | 8.36% | 1.5 | $69.6 billion |
| Moderna (MRNA) | 8.30% | 1.8 | $54.8 billion |
| Bloom Energy (BE) | 7.58% | 1.0 | $78.2 billion |
| Carvana (CVNA) | 6.73% | 7.9 | $77.1 billion |
| Workday (WDAY) | 6.50% | 5.0 | $53.6 billion |
| Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) | 6.23% | 6.5 | $73.5 billion |
| Coherent (COHR) | 5.87% | 1.7 | $57.4 billion |
| Teradyne (TER) | 5.53% | 3.7 | $55.5 billion |
| American Electric Power (AEP) | 5.42% | 6.3 | $66.9 billion |
| Snowflake (SNOW) | 5.25% | 4.2 | $113.7 billion |
| Apollo Global Management (APO) | 5.14% | 7.4 | $68.3 billion |
| Western Digital (WDC) | 5.11% | 2.5 | $158.4 billion |
| Robinhood Markets (HOOD) | 5.10% | 1.8 | $93.7 billion |
Where is short interest rising fastest?
Short interest rose most at Ondas (ONDS): from 2.5% of float a year earlier to 42.9% on Sep 30, 2026, up 40.3 percentage points. The stocks whose short interest grew most over the year, in percentage points of float:
| Stock | Now | A year ago | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ondas (ONDS) | 42.9% | 2.5% | +40.3 pts |
| Lucid Group (LCID) | 62.0% | 23.7% | +38.3 pts |
| NuScale Power (SMR) | 58.7% | 22.6% | +36.0 pts |
| NeoGenomics (NEO) | 60.5% | 27.8% | +32.7 pts |
| Paramount Skydance (PSKY) | 50.3% | 20.1% | +30.2 pts |
| FuelCell Energy (FCEL) | 32.1% | 2.6% | +29.5 pts |
| Rackspace Technology (RXT) | 35.7% | 7.5% | +28.2 pts |
| Prime Medicine (PRME) | 54.0% | 26.6% | +27.5 pts |
| Virgin Galactic Holdings (SPCE) | 36.8% | 10.4% | +26.4 pts |
| Syntec Optics Holdings (OPTX) | 27.6% | 2.3% | +25.3 pts |
| Redwire (RDW) | 35.5% | 11.6% | +23.9 pts |
| Cabaletta Bio (CABA) | 27.3% | 7.9% | +19.4 pts |
| Rocket Companies (RKT) | 28.3% | 9.2% | +19.1 pts |
| Fluence Energy (FLNC) | 47.3% | 29.1% | +18.2 pts |
| Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) | 23.9% | 5.9% | +18.0 pts |
A rising short position can mean investors see a problem coming, but it also builds when a stock has run up quickly, when a company issues convertible bonds (whose buyers often short the stock to hedge), or when the float shrinks.
Which sectors are shorted most?
By sector, Communication Services stocks had the highest median short interest (7.00% of float) and Energy the lowest (3.87%), as of Sep 30, 2026.
| Sector | Median short interest, % of float |
|---|---|
| Communication Services | 7.00% |
| Healthcare | 6.29% |
| Consumer Cyclical | 5.89% |
| Technology | 5.53% |
| Consumer Defensive | 4.89% |
| Basic Materials | 4.70% |
| Utilities | 4.39% |
| Industrials | 4.31% |
| Real Estate | 4.10% |
| Energy | 3.87% |
| Financial Services | 3.87% |
What is a short squeeze, and which stocks are most exposed?
A short squeeze happens when a heavily shorted stock rises and short sellers rush to buy shares back to limit their losses, pushing the price up further. It needs two ingredients: a large short position and a narrow exit (many days to cover), plus a catalyst such as strong results or news. 18 stocks among the most shorted had both at least 20% of float sold short and five or more days to cover on Sep 30, 2026, including Lucid Group (LCID), 62.0% and 8.6 days; NeoGenomics (NEO), 60.5% and 5.7 days; Prime Medicine (PRME), 54.0% and 8.4 days; SoundHound AI (SOUN), 39.6% and 9.7 days; and Recursion Pharmaceuticals (RXRX), 37.9% and 6.1 days.
That is a description of risk on both sides, not a prediction: most heavily shorted stocks never squeeze, and when one does the move often reverses as quickly as it came. Holding one means accepting large swings in either direction.
Is high short interest a bad sign?
It is a warning worth reading, not a verdict. Short sellers are often professional investors who have studied a company closely, and a large short position can point to weak results, heavy debt, accounting questions or a business under threat. But not every short is a bet against the company: funds short to hedge convertible bonds, merger deals or other positions, and short interest also rises in stocks that have simply gone up a lot. For a holder, the useful question is why the short position is there, and how much of the portfolio depends on that stock. See hidden risks in your portfolio.
Method and caveats
- Short positions: FINRA short-interest reports, latest settlement date Sep 30, 2026, for 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage. Broker-dealers report short positions to FINRA twice a month.
- Short % of float: shares sold short divided by float shares (shares available to trade, from company filings and Exent market data). Stocks with no float figure, or a share at 0% or 100% and above, are left out.
- Days to cover: as reported, shares sold short divided by average daily volume. A year ago: the report about one year before the latest.
- Large companies: companies worth $50 billion or more, by today’s market value.
- Short interest is a snapshot: positions can change a lot between reports, and the figure does not show options or swaps.
- Past performance does not guarantee future results. Historical figures are calculated by Exent from market data and are for education only; they are not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
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Frequently asked questions
As of the Sep 30, 2026 short-interest settlement date, Lucid Group (LCID) was the most shorted of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage, with 62.0% of its float sold short and 8.6 days to cover.
The five most shorted of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage on Sep 30, 2026 were Lucid Group (LCID), 62.0% of float; NeoGenomics (NEO), 60.5% of float; NuScale Power (SMR), 58.7% of float; Prime Medicine (PRME), 54.0% of float; and Paramount Skydance (PSKY), 50.3% of float.
The median stock had 4.77% of its float sold short on Sep 30, 2026, while at least 30 stocks had more than 20%, out of 997 US stocks in Exent’s coverage. Many investors treat more than 10% of float as high and more than 20% as very high.
It is the number of shares sold short divided by the average daily trading volume: how many days it would take short sellers to buy back. Among the most shorted stocks, Ocugen (OCGN) had the longest, 13.7 days on Sep 30, 2026.
Among companies worth $50 billion or more, Southern Copper (SCCO) had the highest short interest, 11.6% of float, ahead of NIKE (NKE) at 8.4% (Sep 30, 2026).
It is a warning worth reading, not a verdict. A large short position can point to weak results or heavy debt, but funds also short to hedge convertible bonds and mergers, and heavily shorted stocks can rise sharply in a short squeeze.
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Educational content, not investment advice. Examples are illustrative; past performance does not guarantee future results.