Short Report: Bearish bets on Grindr resurface

Welcome to this week’s installment of “The Short Interest Report” – The Fly’s weekly recap of short interest trends among some of the most widely followed high-short-float stocks. Using the data from our partner Ortex.com, which utilizes the latest information from stock lenders to estimate short interest changes for thousands of publicly traded companies, this report will screen for some of biggest changes in short interest as a percentage of free float and days-to-cover ratios while also considering the short interest data on some of the more volatile and heavier-traded names of the week. Based on the availability of data from Ortex, the report tracks the trading period that covers prior Friday through Thursday of this week, excluding holidays. As a basis of comparison for stocks discussed below, the S&P 500 index was up 0.7%, the Nasdaq Composite was up 1.3%, the Russell 2000 index was up 1.8%, the Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) was up 2.3%, and the Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN) was up 1.3% in the five-day trading session range through December 4.

SHORT INTEREST GAINERS

• Ortex-reported short interest on Grindr (GRND) had collapsed from levels over 100% in October to a trough of about 26% in late November, but with the company’s announcement that a take-private proposal from large shareholders Ray Zage and James Lu at $18.00 per share in cash has failed to materialize, bears are rebuilding their exposure. This week, shorts as a percentage of free float jumped from 26.2% to 31.0% while bid-to-cover on the name rose from 3.4 to 4.0 – both marking three-week highs. The stock was up 5.3% in the five-day period covered and has just about closed the gap after the news of a failed deal, though shares are still down 24% year-to-date and off by 46% from early June peak.
• Ortex-reported short interest on Clean Spark (CLSK) troughed at 2025 lows of 16.5% in the first week of October, but while the stock reached the year’s high just a week later and has since lost nearly half of its value, bears are undeterred and have magnified their positioning. This week, shorts as a percentage of free float on the stock were up for the seventh consecutive week, rising from 32.6% to 34.3% – a four-month high. Exchange-reported short interest has also seen a jump as of the first half of November – spiking from 21% to about 28%. The stock, meanwhile, gained 11.8% in the five-day period covered and has tallied a 51% year-to-date gain, though it is down 36% from October’s peak as of Thursday-close, with another 9% in losses coming on Friday.
• Ortex-reported short interest on Lucky Strike Entertainment (LUCK) had fallen from around 70% in early February to a multi-year low of 18% as of the final week of November as the bears thesis materialized to the tune of a 45% downswing over the course of that period. With the stock finding some support over the recent days and no discernable catalysts, bears are selling into strength. This week, shorts as a percentage of free float nudged from 18.3% to 19.9% and days to cover rose from 8.7 to 9.4 as the stock gained 10%. Overall, however, shares of Lucky Strike are still down 15% year-to-date as of Thursday close.

SHORT INTEREST DECLINERS

• Ortex-reported short interest on Core Scientific (CORZ) reached a record high of 34% earlier last week as the stock slipped to a two-and-a-half month low, though with shares finding support and subsequently bouncing 5.5% over the five-day period through Thursday, traders are pondering whether the plunge in the crypto ecosystem may have run its course. Shorts as a percentage of free float on Core Scientific has pulled back from 33.4% to 29.9% this week while 3-month day-to-cover on the name has held steady around 4.0, reflecting the overall pickup in relative trading volume for the majority of October and November.
• Ortex-reported short interest in HighPeak Enegy (HPK) had declined to 2025-lows below 18% in mid-October, then bounced back to 27% through mid-November, but has now fallen for two consecutive weeks. This week, shorts as a percentage of free float compressed from 23.0% to 19.7%, while days-to-cover slipped from 7.3 to 6.3. The stock was down 2.9% in the five-day period through Thursday, though 2025 overall has not been kind to the energy stock exposed to pressure in the oil and natural gas patch – year-to-date, HighPeak is now down 60%, with 8% of losses also coming on Friday.