Gate News message, April 24 — Avis (ticker: CAR), an auto rental company, experienced extreme volatility on April 21, with its stock price collapsing nearly 70% after surging more than 600% over the preceding period. The stock peaked at $713.97 on April 21 before the sharp reversal.
The dramatic move was driven by a classic short squeeze. On April 7, hedge fund Pentwater disclosed it had built a 22% stake in Avis through call options (rights to buy shares). The sale of these options likely forced option sellers to purchase shares for hedging, adding demand pressure. Short sellers, betting on a price decline, were simultaneously forced to buy back shares to cover their positions, further pushing prices higher. However, another hedge fund, SRS, held an even larger 49% stake, meaning approximately 70% of the company’s tradable shares were concentrated between the two funds, creating severe supply constraints.
“If 70% of the float is tied up by two holders, and neither of them are particularly eager to lend those shares, you have an instant short squeeze,” explained Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. As short sellers were forced out of their positions and buying pressure eased, the stock’s lack of fundamental support led to the collapse.
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