Short Interest in Solar Stocks on the Rise Again

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

Solar rooftop installation
Thinkstock
In three of the five solar stocks we track, short interest rose during the two-week period to August 15. The biggest movement was a rise in short interest in one stock. Fundamentally, the move in solar stocks was toward higher levels of short interest.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) saw short interest rise by 7.8% to 10.33 million shares, which represents 14.1% of the company’s float, and days to cover is three. In the two-week short interest period to August 15, shares rose 9.5%, and they are up more than 23% year-to-date through Tuesday’s close at $71.02. The stock’s 52-week range is $35.59 to $74.84.

SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) showed a decrease of 1.1% in short interest to 66.71 million shares. About 25.1% of the company’s stock is now short, and days to cover is five. In the latest two-week short interest period, shares rose 6.7%, but they are up more than 62% year-to-date. The stock closed at $22.62 Tuesday night in a 52-week range of $7.08 to $24.35.

Sunpower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) saw a short interest decline of about 1.4% to 10.93 million shares, or 21.1% of the company’s total float. In the two-week short interest period, shares slipped about 2.5%, but they are up more than 17% year-to-date after closing at $37.86 on Tuesday. The stock’s 52-week range is $21.00 to $42.07. Days to cover is 4.4.

SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ: SCTY) showed a rise of 6.7% in short interest to 12.06 million shares, or 22.3% of the company’s float. Days to cover is 2.4. In the two-week short interest period, shares rose less than 0.5%, though they are up about 18% year-to-date through Tuesday’s close. The stock’s 52-week range is $28.31 to $88.35, and shares closed at $70.48.

GT Advanced Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: GTAT) saw short interest rise by 17.2% to 56.54 million shares, about 41.5% of the company’s total float. Days to cover is 6.3. In the two-week short interest period, shares rose more than 25%. They are up nearly 104% year-to-date through Tuesday, when the shares closed at $18.60. The stock’s 52-week range is $6.28 to $20.54.

ALSO READ: Stocks With the Largest Short Interest

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Featured Reads

Our top personal finance-related articles today. Your wallet will thank you later.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618