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Short & Caught: Flight Centre back on top of most shorted ASX stocks at end of 2022
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- Flight Centre regains position as the most shorted stock on the ASX
- Asset manager Perpetual has climbed to ASX’s second most shorted stock
- Betmakers Technology Group sees its short position almost halve during December
How does shorting work?
Shorting works by selling stocks you do not actually own in the hope of buying them back at a lower price. Investors are in effect betting they will fall.
Because shorting is restricted under Australian law, any substantial shorting of stocks is worth knowing about, even if you only trade long.
Stockhead has utilised the number of short positions as a percentage of total shares on issue. The most ASX shorted stocks (excluding CDIs) all have 5% or more.
The most shorted stocks on ASX
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:
| Code | Company | Short positions | Shares on issue | % short positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLT | FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL ORDINARY | 28,641,938 | 200,154,524 | 14% |
| PPT | PERPETUAL LIMITED ORDINARY | 7,114,977 | 57,308,133 | 12% |
| MP1 | MEGAPORT LIMITED ORDINARY | 17,686,891 | 158,165,115 | 11% |
| SYA | SAYONA MINING LTD ORDINARY | 879,041,696 | 8,684,031,536 | 10% |
| CXO | CORE LITHIUM ORDINARY | 147,515,163 | 1,838,319,419 | 8% |
| BRG | BREVILLE GROUP LTD ORDINARY | 10,770,379 | 142,781,365 | 8% |
| LKE | LAKE RESOURCES ORDINARY | 104,740,915 | 1,391,648,709 | 8% |
| BET | BETMAKERS TECH GROUP ORDINARY | 69,908,610 | 933,093,666 | 7% |
| ZIP | ZIP CO LTD.. ORDINARY | 56,430,848 | 765,365,865 | 7% |
| CHN | CHALICE MINING LTD ORDINARY | 27,425,842 | 376,447,194 | 7% |
| TPW | TEMPLE & WEBSTER LTD ORDINARY | 8,297,251 | 120,893,504 | 7% |
| NXT | NEXTDC LIMITED ORDINARY | 31,281,985 | 456,699,580 | 7% |
| NAN | NANOSONICS LIMITED ORDINARY | 20,278,515 | 302,029,520 | 7% |
| VUL | VULCAN ENERGY ORDINARY | 9,620,654 | 143,435,301 | 7% |
| PBH | POINTSBET HOLDINGS ORDINARY | 20,478,088 | 305,679,271 | 7% |
| ABB | AUSSIE BROADBAND ORDINARY | 15,728,161 | 237,665,276 | 7% |
| DMP | DOMINO PIZZA ENTERPR ORDINARY | 5,806,680 | 88,857,769 | 7% |
| BRN | BRAINCHIP LTD ORDINARY | 108,906,645 | 1,726,862,144 | 6% |
| CUV | CLINUVEL PHARMACEUT. ORDINARY | 2,961,183 | 49,410,338 | 6% |
| NIC | NICKEL INDUSTRIES ORDINARY | 159,322,444 | 2,731,273,497 | 6% |
| AMA | AMA GROUP LIMITED ORDINARY | 62,320,996 | 1,073,070,217 | 6% |
| MTS | METCASH LIMITED ORDINARY | 55,078,350 | 965,541,602 | 6% |
| AMI | AURELIA METALS LTD ORDINARY | 68,489,057 | 1,237,437,216 | 6% |
| SGM | SIMS LIMITED ORDINARY | 10,689,347 | 193,147,649 | 6% |
| ARB | ARB CORPORATION. ORDINARY | 4,472,815 | 81,971,722 | 5% |
| JBH | JB HI-FI LIMITED ORDINARY | 5,890,719 | 109,333,981 | 5% |
| 29M | 29 METALS LIMITED ORDINARY | 25,603,499 | 481,356,099 | 5% |
| IEL | IDP EDUCATION LTD ORDINARY | 14,772,725 | 278,336,211 | 5% |
| AWC | ALUMINA LIMITED ORDINARY | 152,246,465 | 2,901,681,417 | 5% |
| WEB | WEBJET LIMITED ORDINARY | 19,742,868 | 382,536,484 | 5% |
| BLD | BORAL LIMITED. ORDINARY | 56,574,871 | 1,103,088,419 | 5% |
| NVX | NOVONIX LIMITED ORDINARY | 24,712,555 | 486,679,904 | 5% |
| CGC | COSTA GROUP HOLDINGS ORDINARY | 23,552,231 | 464,546,466 | 5% |
| UMG | UNITED MALT GROUP ORDINARY | 15,004,488 | 299,179,135 | 5% |
| PNI | PINNACLE INVESTMENT ORDINARY | 9,977,101 | 201,264,056 | 5% |
| BOQ | BANK OF QUEENSLAND. ORDINARY | 32,155,168 | 652,485,010 | 5% |
| PDN | PALADIN ENERGY LTD ORDINARY | 146,323,699 | 2,979,870,830 | 5% |
| MYX | MAYNE PHARMA LTD ORDINARY | 83,979,501 | 1,739,815,508 | 5% |
| FFX | FIREFINCH LTD ORDINARY | 56,803,532 | 1,181,243,221 | 5% |
| SHV | SELECT HARVESTS ORDINARY | 5,731,763 | 120,950,818 | 5% |
| ING | INGHAMS GROUP ORDINARY | 17,544,174 | 371,679,601 | 5% |
| GUD | G.U.D. HOLDINGS ORDINARY | 6,445,998 | 140,894,696 | 5% |
| MFG | MAGELLAN FIN GRP LTD ORDINARY | 8,190,171 | 181,509,883 | 5% |
| ACL | AU CLINICAL LABS ORDINARY | 9,093,358 | 201,834,015 | 5% |
| PME | PRO MEDICUS LIMITED ORDINARY | 4,695,533 | 104,432,253 | 4% |
| CXL | CALIX LIMITED ORDINARY | 8,097,819 | 180,450,691 | 4% |
| GOR | GOLD ROAD RES LTD ORDINARY | 47,591,310 | 1,075,932,298 | 4% |
| CIA | CHAMPION IRON LTD ORDINARY | 22,636,745 | 517,193,126 | 4% |
| KGN | KOGAN.COM LTD ORDINARY | 4,542,049 | 107,044,098 | 4% |
| MSB | MESOBLAST LIMITED ORDINARY | 30,929,235 | 737,121,218 | 4% |
Flight Centre back as most shorted stock
After a couple of months reprieve Flight Centre (ASX:FLT), which has been the most shorted stock on the ASX for most of 2022, is back on top.
Adversely affected by the covid-19 pandemic, the travel sector and FLT have been recovering throughout the year as Australia’s borders started to reopen domestically and internationally.
The FLT share price is down ~11% in the past month and ~24% year to date.
Perpetual climbs to second spot
Fund manager Perpetual (ASX:PPT) has seen its short position rise 3% in the past month and it’s now the second most shorted stock on the ASX.
On December 23 shareholders of former rival fund manager Pendal (ASX:PDL) supported the company’s takeover by PPT in a $2 billion deal.
“Pendal shareholders have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the proposed merger with Perpetual, which will bring two iconic financial services firms together to create one of Australia’s largest ASX-listed asset managers,” Pendal chair Deborah Page AM said in an ASX announcement.
Betmakers sees improvement in short position
Betmakers Technology Group (ASX:BET), which overtook FLT as the most shorted ASX stock in November, has had some Christmas cheer with its short position almost halving in the past month to 8%.
BET operates a platform model providing the back-end technology for bookmakers primarily in horse racing.
The company has seen its shares fall 3.57% in the past month and 34% year to date.
The FLT, PPT & BET share price today:
Short sellers punt against lithium stocks
Short sellers have also been targeting the lithium sector , which up until recently has been a favourite among investors in 2022.
Among lithium stocks on the ASX most shorted list is Sayona Mining (ASX:SYA), Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) and Lake Resources (ASX:LKE).
As Stockhead’s Lithium Queen Jessica Cummins reported yesterday weak investor sentiment has continued to impact lithium stocks over the past few months.
Recession, inflation, China’s failed covid-19 strategy and, most recently, a softening of lithium prices from their record highs have all had an impact.
The SYA, CXO & LKE share price today:
Health and retail stocks short selling target
Health and retail stocks continue to be a target of short sellers at the end of 2022. It has been a tough year for the ASX health sector, which has been out of favour with investors.
On the retail front Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan expect a $23.5 billion spend by Boxing Day bargain hunters between December 26 and January 15.
But after the sales end, realities of rising cost of living and inflation is forecast to catch up to consumers.
Among healthcare and retail stocks on the list are Nanosonics (ASX:NAN) which has seen its short position improve from 7% at the start of December and Temple & Webster (ASX:TPW). The TPW short position remains unchanged at 7% in the past month.
