Many heavily shorted companies are done so due to their weakness to potential bankruptcy. However, sometimes a company gets a heavy short interest without any apparent weakness. That still makes shares susceptible to a squeeze. That may be what happened last week with shares ofTootsie Roll (TR). The confectionary firm saw its price soar to nearly $60 per share in intra-day trading, only to come back to its more recent price trend near $30. In hindsight, it’s easy to see why. Insiders own 34 percent of shares. And institutions own another 34 percent. That leaves very little float of a...

Even before the pandemic, video games were a huge business. In 2019, video game sales exceeded box office sales globally. That trend continued even higher in 2020, thanks to lockdowns and a new generation of video game consoles. The big winners in the space are often the video game design companies. Largely dominated by a few big players who keep turning out franchise titles much like a big film studio, these companies tend to see steady and growing revenues. For instance,Electronic Arts (EA), has annual sports titles as well as some big AAA games (equivalent to the blockbuster comic...

There are many ways to play the growing digitization of the economy. Traders are familiar with software companies, which can make money selling once or via monthly subscription models. Or hardware firms that create the tools needed to access it in the first place. But other trends in the digital age are out there. Ark Investments, one of the top tech investment funds, has been around for years. Its performance last year, however, has led to many close followers. Recently, one of Ark’s funds started investing inDraftKings (DKNG). The company is a leader in online sports betting, a mar...

Robinhood traders are livid at the platform’s decision to cut off trading in popular trades over the past week. They’re looking to take their money elsewhere, which could quickly undo the million new accounts that were created in the last month. If that’s the case, there are only a few other brokerage firms that will allow full trading right now in every stock out there. But traders are also looking to get out of the system by buying cryptocurrency. That narrows the number of opportunities significantly. However,Square (SQ) seems to be hitting all the right notes. The payment platfor...

The overall stock market dropped last week amidst a deluge of corporate earnings. Among a sold-off name is an industrial giant that has been making some modern pivots. While sales dropped last year, the company managed to grow earnings year-over-year. Even better? The firm gave a buoyant outlook that indicated a move towards higher growth in the year ahead. The firm?Honewell (HON). It’s a name best known for air conditioning equipment and other “old-school” industrial products. The company is making big strides into other areas of tech, however, including quantum computing and busine...

Traders looking for other short-squeeze alternatives toGameStop (GME) are turning their eyes toward silver. Why? The commodity is seeing lower annual mining production, while demand for it increases thanks to a variety of uses in electronic components. Meanwhile, big banks are able to play the silver market by selling contracts, earning a small amount on each trade, but making millions of trades. The disconnect between this paper market and the physical metals market has grown extreme. This idea isn’t new. It found some traction in the early 2010s at the start of the Occupy Wall Stre...

For the first time in five years,Amazon (AMZN) isn’t the reigning global brand. Rather, the title is going back to a name that had it before. The company?Apple (AAPL). It’s the ultimate consumer tech play. While the company can be derided for coming up with small improvements in its tech every year, a rabid fan base and a growing services division continues to reward shareholders. The company’s increased investment in streaming, electric cars, and other trends have already allowed it to become the first U.S. company to hit a $2 trillion market cap. With growing revenues and cash f...

The pandemic and related lockdowns have left some better off. For others, job losses have led to a challenge. The end result? A K-shaped recovery, as some trend higher and some lower. With that theme in mind, there are plenty of investment opportunities. Many consumers, particularly on the lower-end, are likely to continue their shift towards lower-priced consumer goods. That bodes particularly well for outlets such as dollar stores. One company getting an upgrade from Loop Capital on that thesis isDollar General (DG). Shares of the company are already up over 30 percent in the past ...

With a number of areas removing Covid-related restrictions thanks to the availability of multiple vaccines, capital is likely to start moving out of these names and into other potential fast-movers. One such area might be adjacent, into the biotech space. Companies that focus on other health issues are likely to see increased interest now that the focus is shifting away from Covid. It’s an opportunity-rich environment. One such name isRegeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN). Shares declined in the second half of 2020, but have started to move higher with the start of the year. As investors ...

The energy industry has changed rapidly over the past decade. The growth of alternatives, and their improving costs, have made them viable compared to the use of fossil fuels. Even oil is under distress thanks to the rise of electric and hybrid vehicles impacting demand. It’s clear that fossil fuel companies need to embrace this change, and many already have. But even those with a small stake at a giant company can push through smart changes that improve sustainability and profitability. That may be the case withExxonMobil (XOM). Engine No. 1, a hedge fund with a mere $40 million sta...