Lucid Tops The Most-Shorted Stock List—Here Are 9 More Short Targets
Many traders zero in on heavily shorted stocks either to press a bearish view or to position for a sharp move higher if sentiment reverses.
Below is a look at why these names attract so much attention and how the current short‑interest backdrop factors into the trade.
- LCID stock has high short interest. See the chart and price action here.
What Makes a Stock Heavily Shorted?
A stock tends to become heavily shorted when a large group of professional traders and institutions sees the valuation as stretched and expects meaningful downside over time.
These investors are usually targeting companies they think face material risks — from disappointing earnings and persistent cash burn to structural business challenges or industry pressure — that could weigh on the share price.
At the same time, many retail and momentum traders view high short interest as potential fuel: once the stock starts to move up, short sellers can be forced to react.
The Mechanics of a Short Squeeze
A short squeeze is a fast, feedback‑driven move higher that can produce unusually large gains in a short window.
It often begins with an unexpected upside catalyst — such as stronger‑than‑expected results, improved guidance or a favorable macro headline — that pushes short positions into loss territory and forces some traders to buy shares back.
That covering adds to regular buying demand, lifting the price further and prompting additional risk‑based covering, which can quickly accelerate the move.
Top 10 Most Shorted Stocks
Below are the top 10 most heavily shorted stocks (market caps above $2 billion, average 14‑day volume above 5 million and free floats above 5 million) based on recent data from Benzinga Pro as of March 11, 2026.
Stocks are ranked by short interest — the percentage of a company's free float that has been sold short and not yet covered.
- Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) – Short interest: 52.89%
- CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK) – Short interest: 46.54%
- Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:HIMS) – Short interest: 46.09%
- MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA) – Short interest: 39.89%
- ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBRX) – Short interest: 35.41%
- Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ONDS) – Short interest: 35.25%
- SoundHound AI, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOUN) – Short interest: 33.10%
- Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPT) – Short interest: 31.80%
- Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) – Short interest: 30.74%
- Fluence Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLNC) – Short interest: 30.00%
https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/11134519/Short-3-11-26-300x70.png 300w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/11134519/Short-3-11-26-768x180.png 768w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/11134519/Short-3-11-26-1536x360.png 1536w, https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/11134519/Short-3-11-26-2048x480.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Reminders:
- Highly shorted stocks are battlegrounds where negative fundamentals meet speculative trading.
- Short squeezes can deliver huge, fast gains, but at very high risk and volatility.
- Monitoring the short interest leaderboard can help identify which stocks might be the next short squeeze, but timing such trades remains extremely challenging.
- Always conduct due diligence, as the volatility often reflects deep underlying risks and business uncertainty.
Photo: Shutterstock