Short Interest Generally Lower in Solar Stocks, With 1 Exception

Short interest moves among solar and alternative energy stocks mostly increased during the two-week reporting period that ended on January 15. In the solar sector, two of the five companies we watch saw short interest rise. All four alt energy stocks also saw an increase in short interest during the period.

First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) saw short interest increase by 13.9% to 5.65 million shares, which represents 7.6% of the company’s float. Days to cover remained unchanged at two. In the two-week short interest period, the stock’s share price fell by about 8.5%. Its 52-week range is $40.25 to $72.12 and it closed at $65.64 on Wednesday, down about 2.6% for the day. First Solar now may well be the best house in a bad neighborhood, but short sellers appear to believe that it won’t last.

SunEdison Inc. (NYSE: SUNE) showed a decrease of 5.2% in short interest to 104.19 million shares. About 33.2% of the company’s float was short and days to cover remained flat at two. In the latest two-week short interest reporting period, the share price fell by nearly 46%. The stock closed at $3.33 on Wednesday, up about 9.2% for the day, in a 52-week range of $2.02 to $33.45. Activist investor David Einhorn took a seat on the company’s board of directors Wednesday, driving the stock price up.

SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR) short interest rose by 1.5% to 11 million shares, or 19.2% of the company’s float. In the latest short interest period, the share price fell by about 25%. The stock’s 52-week trading range is $18.25 to $35.11, and it closed at $23.95 on Wednesday, down about 0.9% for the day. Days to cover rose from four to five.

SolarCity Corp. (NASDAQ: SCTY) saw short interest drop by 6.3% to 23.85 million shares, or 38.6% of the company’s total float. Days to cover rose from five to eight. In the two-week period, the share price fell nearly 31%. The stock’s 52-week range is $24.07 to $63.79, and shares closed at $32.84 Wednesday night, down about 4% for the day.
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Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ) saw a decline of 7.1% in short interest in the two-week period to January 15. Some 12.6% of the total float, 5.34 million shares, were short, and days to cover remained unchanged at two. The company’s shares dropped more than 34% over the two-week period. Shares closed Wednesday at $19.87, down about 1.4% for the day, in a 52-week range of $14.16 to $40.08.

FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) posted an increase of 7.5% in short interest during the two-week period. Some 3.55 million were short as of January 15. The stock closed at $5.23 on Wednesday, up about 0.2% for the day, in a 52-week range of $4.51 to $17.40. Shares dropped about 4% in the two-week short interest period.

Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG) saw short interest increase by 1.1% to 34.11 million shares. Days to cover rose from 14 to 16, and about 19.1% of the company’s shares were short. In the two weeks to January 15, the stock’s share price fell by about 23%. The stock’s 52-week range is $1.30 to $3.38, and shares closed Wednesday at $1.85, up nearly 4% for the day.

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) had an increase of 3.7% in short interest to 15.04 million shares. About 21.3% of the company’s float is short and days to cover rose from seven to eight. Shares fell about 26% in the two-week period to January 15. The stock closed at $2.46, down about 5%, on Wednesday in a 52-week range of $2.15 to $10.48.

Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX) saw short interest rise by 1.5% in the two-week period to 4 million shares, about 10.9% of the company’s float. Days to cover fell from six to four. The stock price fell about 25% in the two weeks. Shares closed at $3.10 on Tuesday, up about 0.5% on the day, in a 52-week range of $2.41 to $13.70.