Short Squeeze Scan — 2026-06-07
Algolearn.AI June 7, 2026 5 min read 3 views
Squeeze 2026-06-07 · 2 top setups · 4 watchlist · 24 no signal
Automated daily scan of high-short-interest US stocks, scored against a 7-point short-squeeze checklist (the same warning signs that preceded the April 2026 CAR squeeze). Each top setup includes a defined-risk options idea built from live chain data. Not investment advice.
Top setups
AI (5/7)
C3.ai has 41.48% of float short (10.55 days-to-cover) and just beat non-GAAP EPS estimates by $0.05 on June 3, triggering 87,076 calls traded on June 5 — 83% above the 30-day average — with an OI put/call ratio of 0.45. The stock has moved from an intraday low of $10.11 on June 5 to ~$12.63, above its 50-day MA of $9.15, as post-earnings squeeze mechanics appear to be engaging. The primary structural gap is the large 115M-share float, which dilutes squeeze severity relative to smaller-float names.
- [PASS] Short interest > 40% of float: 41.48% of float per highshortinterest.com scan; FINRA-confirmed 46.76M shares short = 35.2% of float as of May 21, 2026, up 4.17% from the prior settlement cycle (MarketBeat / Quiver Quantitative).
- [PASS] Days to cover > 5: 10.55 days at average daily volume of 4.43M shares (May 21, 2026 Fintel/MarketBeat data); April reading was 9.8 days at 44M shares short.
- [FAIL] Tiny free float with institutions locked up: Float 115.41M vs 141.79M outstanding = 81.4% of outstanding is freely tradeable; only 18.6% locked up — far below the 75% institutional-lockup threshold.
- [FAIL] Rising borrow costs: No confirmed 2026 borrow-rate figure obtained (Theta MDDS offline; Fintel/Ortex require direct login). Historical 2023 data showed 20–23% CTB. Given persistent 41% SI and rising short interest, borrow is likely elevated, but no specific current-year number verified.
- [PASS] Near-term catalyst (earnings, FDA, tariff, etc.): Q4 FY2026 earnings released June 3, 2026: non-GAAP EPS –$0.33 vs consensus –$0.38 (5-cent beat); Q4 revenue $51.6M within guidance. Earnings-driven squeeze window typically 1–3 weeks post-release; print was 4 days ago.
- [PASS] Heavy call buying / call skew > put skew: June 5, 2026: 87,076 call options traded, +83% above 30-day average of 47,501 (MarketBeat alert published June 5). Open-interest put/call ratio 0.45 — bullish skew. Investing.com and OptionsTradingreport.com both published 'options anomaly: squeeze in the making' pieces June 3–5.
- [PASS] Price momentum turning up despite heavy short interest: Latest available quote ~$12.63 (vs June 3 close $10.72 and June 5 intraday low $10.11), above 50-day MA of $9.15; up sharply from 52-week low of $7.68. Price is rising despite 41%+ short interest.
| Strategy | bull call spread |
|---|---|
| Expiry | 2026-06-19 |
| Legs | long 1× $13 call, short 1× $16 call |
| Cost | ~$0.65 debit per spread (est.; Theta MDDS offline — derived from ~$12.63 current price, 14.76% pre-earnings implied expected move context, and post-earnings IV compression; approx. $13 call ~$0.80, $16 call ~$0.15) |
| Max risk / reward | ~$65 per spread / ~$235 per spread (at $16+ by June 19) · breakeven ~$13.65 |
PCT (5/7)
PureCycle has 42.88% of float short, 8.46 days-to-cover, and an elevated 6.01% borrow rate with only 1.9M shares available at the prime broker — the tightest borrow in the top-10 SI universe. The May 2026 PureFive® PCR regulatory milestone and approaching Q2 earnings (Aug 5) provide two near-term catalysts, and all four covering analysts rate PCT a Buy with a $15.50 target (vs ~$12.28 current). The primary gap is the absence of confirmed unusual options activity.
- [PASS] Short interest > 40% of float: 42.88% of float per highshortinterest.com; FINRA-reported 44.4M–45M shares short (Feb 13–27, 2026), representing 24–25% of 180.86M outstanding.
- [PASS] Days to cover > 5: 8.46 days at average daily volume of 5.25M shares (Feb 27, 2026 FINRA data); earlier Feb 13 reading was 15.46 days at 2.94M avg vol — current figure likely 8–10 days.
- [FAIL] Tiny free float with institutions locked up: Float 107.67M vs 180.86M outstanding = 59.5% float ratio; 40.5% of shares locked up — below the 75% institutional-lockup threshold.
- [PASS] Rising borrow costs: Borrow fee rate 6.01% with only 1.9M shares available at prime broker (Fintel data per search results). Elevated CTB indicates active short demand and constrained supply of lendable shares.
- [PASS] Near-term catalyst (earnings, FDA, tariff, etc.): May 2026: PureCycle's PureFive® resin granted postconsumer resin (PCR) regulatory recognition — a commercial ramp milestone. Q1 2026 earnings beat (revenue $4.13M, fifth consecutive quarter of sequential growth). Q2 2026 earnings estimated Aug 5, 2026. Buy consensus (4/4 analysts), PT $15.50 vs current ~$12.28.
- [FAIL] Heavy call buying / call skew > put skew: No unusual options volume or call skew confirmed for PCT in June 2026 search results.
- [PASS] Price momentum turning up despite heavy short interest: Stock at $12.28 (May 14, 2026), up from 52-week low of $4.93 (+149%); market cap +3.46% in the week ending early June 2026; fifth consecutive quarter of sequential revenue growth supports sustained upward trend.
| Strategy | bull call spread |
|---|---|
| Expiry | 2026-07-17 |
| Legs | long 1× $13 call, short 1× $16 call |
| Cost | ~$0.80 debit per spread (est.; Theta MDDS offline — reference: $12 call was bid $2.45 when PCT was ~$9.76 per NASDAQ options article; current $13 OTM delta/premium extrapolated from that IV base with stock now at ~$12.28) |
| Max risk / reward | ~$80 per spread / ~$220 per spread (at $16+ by July 17) · breakeven ~$13.80 |
Watchlist
| Ticker | Score | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| HTZ | 4/7 | Hertz checks four of seven boxes — SI at 40.6%, ~9 days-to-cover, a strong Q1 beat (revenue $2.00B vs $1.89B est., EBITDA +32.5%), and +7.17% price gain last week. The 129M-share float and unconfirmed borrow rate are limiting factors, and a structural Seeking Alpha bear piece counsels caution. Worth promoting to top_setup if borrow rate confirms elevated and options activity builds into Q2 earnings (Aug 12). |
| GRPN | 3/7 | Groupon carries the highest SI in the universe at 62.12% and 11.28 days-to-cover with a 20.57M-share float — textbook squeeze numerics. However, the 0.54% borrow rate is the critical flaw: shorts are paying almost nothing to maintain positions, removing the urgency to cover that defines a true squeeze. Price has run 69% since March but softened 9% last week. Watchlist until borrow rate rises materially or a hard near-term catalyst (deal, activist, product) emerges. |
| SERV | 3/7 | Serve Robotics' 578% YoY revenue growth and White Castle/Uber/DoorDash expansion drove a ~20% post-earnings surge, with institutions buying at a $10:$1 ratio. At 32.28% SI and 6.1 days-to-cover, the stock falls just short of the 40% SI threshold for top-setup designation. Worth monitoring: if SI crosses 40% on the next FINRA settlement date or borrow rate becomes confirmed elevated, this becomes a top-setup candidate. |
| RXRX | 3/7 | Recursion Pharmaceuticals has 13–17 days-to-cover and a 9.8% single-session gain on June 4 as AI drug pipeline progress (Sanofi/Roche milestones, Phase 2 FAP signal) attracted buyers. At 33.84–36.8% SI it falls short of the 40% threshold, and the 512M-share float severely limits squeeze mechanics. The combination of high DTC, improving pipeline, and recent momentum earns a watchlist spot; promote to top_setup if SI crosses 40% or unusual options volume appears. |
No signal
SOUN, LFVN, SPRY, CRML, SNBR, LCID, GCTK, FLWS, EOSE, ABEO, SATS, HIMS, UONE, SPHR, IOVA, MNPR, INDI, BBAI, NVAX, PLCE, NFE, TTEC, DRCT, EVGO
Generated 2026-06-07 15:01 UTC by the AlgoLearn squeeze scanner. Defined-risk options ideas for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
https://pagerankcafe.com/pressRelease/blog/squeeze-scan-2026-06-07
