Short Sellers Add to Positions in Solar, Alt Energy Stocks

Energy

Published: July 27, 2015 7:23 am

Last Updated: April 28, 2020 4:47 am

Short interest moves among solar and alternative energy stocks were mixed during the two-week reporting period that ended on July 15th. In the solar sector three of the five companies we watch saw short interest rise, while among the alternative fuel stocks three of four companies posted a rise in short interest.

For the two-week period share prices for all the solar stocks were down from around 1% to 12%. Just one of the alternative fuel stocks posted a 2-week share price increase and two posted new 52-week lows last Friday.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) saw short interest increase by 14% to 7.09 million shares, which represents 9.6% of the company’s float. Days to cover remained unchanged at 3. In the two-week short interest period through July 15th, shares dropped more than 7%. The stock’s 52-week range is $39.18 to $73.78 and it closed at $42.97 on Friday up about 0.5% for the day.

SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) showed a decrease of 0.3% in short interest, to 69.64 million shares. About 25.6% of the company’s float is now short and days to cover rose from 7 to 8. In the latest two-week short interest reporting period, the share price slipped about 1%. The stock closed at $26.07 Friday night, down about 0.9% for the day, in a 52-week range of $13.09 to $33.45.

Sunpower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) short interest fell by 8.4% to 6.05 million shares, or 11.2% of the company’s float. In the two-week short interest period to July 15th, share prices declined nearly 10%. The stock’s 52-week range is $22.75 to $39.95 and it closed at $25.45 on Friday, down 0.7% for the day. Days to cover fell from 6 to 3.

SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ: SCTY) saw a short interest rise of 2.1% to 23.23 million shares, 39.6% of the company’s total float. Days to cover rose from 12 to 13. In the two-week short interest period, the share price fell by almost 6%. The stock’s 52-week range is $45.91 to $79.40, and shares closed at $54.62 Friday night, up about 1.8% for the day.

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) saw a rise of 1.2% in short interest in the two-week period to July 15th. Some 6.4% of the total float, 2.72 million shares, are short, and days to cover remained unchanged at 1. The company’s shares fell nearly 12% over the two-week period. Shares closed Friday night at $25.25, down about 1.6% for the day, in a 52-week range of $18.68 to $41.12.

FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) had a rise of 9.5% in short interest during the two-week period. About 16.4% of the company’s float, 41.82 million shares, is short and days to cover rose from 9 to 16. In the two-week short interest period the shares dropped nearly 12%. The stock closed at $0.839 on Friday, down about 3.6% for the day, in a 52-week range of $0.82 to $2.84. The low was posted Friday.

Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) saw short interest increase by 7.1% to 33.26 million shares. Days to cover fell from 15 to 9 and about 19.3% of the company’s shares are short. In the two weeks to July 15th, the stock’s share price dropped by about 11%. The stock’s 52-week range is $2.17 to $6.47 and shares closed Friday at $2.38, down about 2.1% for the day.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) saw a rise of 0.7% in short interest to 16.39 million shares. About 23.3% of the company’s float is short and days to cover fell from 10 to 8. Shares added about 2.7% in the two-week period to July 15th. The stock closed at $5.63, down 2.6%, on Friday in a 52-week range of $3.99 to $10.48.

Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX) saw short interest fall by 2.1% in the two-week period to 4.79 million shares, about 21.2% of the company’s float. Days to cover rose from 5 to 6. The stock price fell more than 8% in the two weeks to July 15th. The stock closed at $7.33 on Friday, down about 4.7% on the day, in a 52-week range of $7.11 to $23.97. The low was posted Friday.

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