Benzinga - by Chris Katje, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Leading electric vehicle company Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has had a rough start to 2024 with its shares falling after first-quarter deliveries came in below estimates.
Investors are betting against the company by shorting the stock.
What Happened: Shares of Tesla are one of the worst-performing S&P 500 stocks year-to-date in 2024, down 30.6% as of Thursday.
According to a new report from Hazeltree, the stock remains a popular stock for short sellers.
The March 2024 monthly "shortside crowdedness report" from Hazeltree lists Tesla with 99, the highest score possible for crowdedness among large-cap stocks. A score of 99 indicates a stock that has the highest percentage of shorting.
The report shows Tesla and Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) as the only 99-rated large-cap stocks.
Among mid-cap stocks, Wayfair Inc. (NYSE:W) was the only 99-rated stock. For small-cap stocks, several companies scored a perfect 99 rating for a crowded short trade, including popular retail investor stock AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC).
Tesla received an institutional supply utilization score of 2.18%, which represents the percent of supply of shares from institutional investors being lent out.
Related Link: Tesla Stock Faces Challenges In 2024, 2025: Analyst Highlights This Key Future Item, ‘We Still Think TSLA Warrants A Place In Clients’ Portfolios’
Why It's Important: Tesla had scores of 99 from Hazeltree in January and February, hitting a top-crowded rating for short sellers for all three months in 2024.
Tesla has been a popular short for investors for years with many betting against the success of electric vehicles and Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO has spoken out on short sellers and sent warnings many times as the stock has often outperformed the market.
While Tesla shares are down year-to-date and down 7% over the last year, Tesla stock remains up over 870% in the past five years and up over 1,200% over the past 10 years.
The company has first-quarter financial results coming on April 23, which could serve as a catalyst and send shares higher or continue the downward move.
Reports of the company abandoning its $25,000 vehicle and plans to share more details of robotaxis on Aug. 8, 2024, remain keys for investors in the current year.
TSLA Price Action: Tesla shares closed up 1.65% to $174.60 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $152.37 to $299.29.
Read Next: Tesla Q4 Earnings Highlights: Revenue Miss, EPS Miss, Model Y A Global Bestseller, Next-Gen Vehicle Update And More
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