Short interest moves among solar and alternative energy stocks were mixed during the two-week reporting period that ended on January 31. Of the companies we watch, short interest fell on two of three solar stocks and dropped on two of four alternative energy stocks.

Share prices on all these stocks fell, with most of the drops coming in the week before the market turned sharply south.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) saw short interest drop by 23.5% to 4.04 million shares, which represents about 5.2% of the company’s float. Days to cover remained at two. In the interest period through January 31, the stock’s share price pulled back by about 7%. Its 52-week trading range is $25.56 to $76.61, and it closed at $61.22 on Friday, up about 0.9% for the day.

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) short interest increased by 19.7% to 17.1 million shares, or 28.7% of the company’s float. In the two-week short interest period, the share price dropped by more than 11%. Its 52-week range is $5.84 to $11.70, and it closed at $6.85 on Friday, up about 0.9% for the day. Days to cover slipped from 6 to 4.

Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) saw a decrease of 7.3% in short interest during the two weeks. Some 4.4% of the total float, or 1.93 million shares, were short, and days to cover remained unchanged at two. The company’s share price fell by about 6.4% in the period, and shares closed Friday at $14.89, down about 1.7% for the day. The 52-week range is $10.86 to $19.09.

FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) posted a decrease of 4.1% in short interest during the final two weeks of last month. Some 8.17 million shares were short as of January 31. The stock closed at $1.65 on Friday, up about 3.8% for the day, in a 52-week range of $0.80 to $2.49. Shares traded down about 16.6% in the short interest period, and days to cover rose from four to six.

Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) saw short interest drop by 2.8% to 30.66 million shares. Days to cover remained at 10, and about 13.6% of the company’s shares were short. In the two weeks to January 31, the share price fell by about 17.6%. The stock’s 52-week range is $0.92 to $3.21, and shares closed Friday at $1.70, down about 1.2% for the day.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) saw a rise of about 9.4% in short interest to 4.51 million shares. About 3.5% of the company’s float was short, and days to cover fell from four to two. The share price fell by 28% in the short interest period. The stock closed at $1.49 on Friday, up about 2.8% for the day, in a 52-week range of $1.39 to $3.12. The low was posted Friday.

Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX) saw short interest rise by 32.8% in the period to 1.15 million shares, about 2.7% of the company’s float. Days to cover rose from three to four. The stock price dropped by about 9.4% in the two weeks. Shares closed at $3.70 on Friday, up about 1.4% on the day, in a 52-week range of $3.55 to $9.35. The low was posted Friday.

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