Last month's top 10 short squeeze candidates — how did they actually do?
On 2026-09-01, our composite squeeze score flagged the ten names below as the highest-readiness candidates on the board — high short interest, rising days-to-cover, and at least one bullish technical setup confirming the squeeze thesis.
Over the next 30 calendar days (through 2026-09-30), the basket punished anyone who simply bought and held. The average peak gain was +14.3%, against an average drawdown of -20.2% and an average buy-and-hold return of -10.4%. 3 of 10 names closed green; 3 lost more than 20%.
The screener surfaced modest but realistic swings — GLSI alone touched +35.3% intra-window — but as is typical for short squeeze setups, the winners failed to outrun the losers when held to today. Most names rolled over before any squeeze fully developed. Below is each candidate, in order of composite score, with the price action that followed.
The numbers, top-to-bottom
| # | Ticker | Company | Score | SI % | DTC | Peak | Drawdown | Held to today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CRK | Comstock Resources, Inc. | 99.6 | 31.3% | 13.4 | -1.1% | -23.2% | -23.1% |
| 2 | PLCE | Children's Place, Inc. | 92.3 | 50.4% | 21.7 | +15.1% | -27.5% | -14.7% |
| 3 | LENZ | LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock | 91.6 | 79.5% | 12.5 | +14.3% | -31.3% | -26.6% |
| 4 | HPK | HighPeak Energy, Inc. Common Stock | 90.2 | 80.5% | 16.0 | +10.9% | -9.5% | +0.6% |
| 5 | VOR | Vor Biopharma Inc. Common Stock | 89.6 | 55.6% | 9.8 | +14.8% | -22.6% | -15.7% |
| 6 | MFI | mF International Limited Class A Ordinary Shares | 89.3 | 129.5% | 8.4 | +8.7% | -7.9% | -0.6% |
| 7 | IBRX | ImmunityBio, Inc. Common Stock | 88.4 | 32.3% | 15.4 | +28.2% | -2.9% | +19.9% |
| 8 | PROK | ProKidney Corp. Class A Ordinary Shares | 88.2 | 24.4% | 18.7 | +13.0% | -16.8% | -10.3% |
| 9 | BBOT | BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock | 87.9 | 23.4% | 24.8 | +4.1% | -57.0% | -53.5% |
| 10 | GLSI | Greenwich LifeSciences, Inc. | 87.2 | 25.1% | 13.3 | +35.3% | -3.7% | +20.3% |
Ticker by ticker
#1. CRK — Comstock Resources, Inc. · $4.6B · score 99.6
CRK (Comstock Resources, Inc.) ($4.6B) Oil & Gas sector — entered the window at $16.02. A critical-risk reading on the squeeze board: a composite of 99.6 backed by 31.3% of float and 13.4 days-to-cover. The squeeze never really fired — the best print was $15.85 on the 1st session, only -1.1% off the entry. The other side of the trade hurt: $12.30 on the 20th session (-23.2% from entry) was the worst of it. Net of the trip, this one is -23.1% — the worst-case outcome for a screener pick.
#2. PLCE — Children's Place, Inc. · $63M · score 92.3
PLCE (Children's Place, Inc.) ($63M) Consumer Brands & Retail sector — entered the window at $2.51. A critical-risk reading on the squeeze board: a composite of 92.3 backed by 50.4% of float and 21.7 days-to-cover. The squeeze did show up — price ran to $2.89 by the 2nd session, a +15.1% move from entry. The other side of the trade hurt: $1.82 on the 9th session (-27.5% from entry) was the worst of it. As of yesterday's close the trade sits at -14.7% — the setup looked good on paper but the market disagreed.
#3. LENZ — LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock · $182M · score 91.6
LENZ (LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock) ($182M) Biotech - Drug Development sector — entered the window at $5.23. On the day, our composite tagged it critical: a composite of 91.6 backed by 79.5% of float and 12.5 days-to-cover. The thesis paid off briefly — buyers pushed the tape to $5.98 on the 3rd session for a +14.3% pop. Drawdown was steep — the 16th session saw price tag $3.60, a -31.3% retrace from the start. Held to today, the trade prints a brutal -26.6%. The squeeze never showed up; the sellers did.
#4. HPK — HighPeak Energy, Inc. Common Stock · $1.0B · score 90.2
HPK (HighPeak Energy, Inc. Common Stock) ($1.0B) Oil & Gas sector — entered the window at $8.11. A critical-risk reading on the squeeze board: a composite of 90.2 backed by 80.5% of float and 16.0 days-to-cover. The squeeze never really fired — the best print was $8.99 on the 11th session, only +10.9% off the entry. Pullbacks were shallow; the low at $7.34 on the 19th session was just -9.5% from the entry. Held to today, the trade is essentially scratch at +0.6%.
#5. VOR — Vor Biopharma Inc. Common Stock · $1.4B · score 89.6
VOR (Vor Biopharma Inc. Common Stock) ($1.4B) Healthcare - Oncology sector — entered the window at $22.64. A critical-risk reading on the squeeze board: a composite of 89.6 backed by 55.6% of float and 9.8 days-to-cover. The squeeze did show up — price ran to $26.00 by the 4th session, a +14.8% move from entry. The other side of the trade hurt: $17.52 on the 19th session (-22.6% from entry) was the worst of it. As of yesterday's close the trade sits at -15.7% — the setup looked good on paper but the market disagreed.
#6. MFI — mF International Limited Class A Ordinary Shares · $458M · score 89.3
MFI (mF International Limited Class A Ordinary Shares) ($458M) Fintech & Digital Payments sector — entered the window at $9.55. The score flagged it as critical-risk squeeze: a composite of 89.3 backed by 129.5% of float and 8.4 days-to-cover. Bulls couldn't get traction; the 18th session marked the high at $10.38 (+8.7% from entry) and that was it. Bears never got much: $8.80 on the 1st session, -7.9% below entry, was as deep as it went. Net of everything, the trade is roughly flat at -0.6% — the squeeze briefly fired and then gave it all back.
#7. IBRX — ImmunityBio, Inc. Common Stock · $8.4B · score 88.4
IBRX (ImmunityBio, Inc. Common Stock) ($8.4B) Healthcare - Oncology sector — entered the window at $7.87. The score flagged it as critical-risk squeeze: a composite of 88.4 backed by 32.3% of float and 15.4 days-to-cover. The setup worked: the 20th session brought a high of $10.09, a +28.2% swing from the entry close. Bears never got much: $7.64 on the 6th session, -2.9% below entry, was as deep as it went. Net of all the noise, the trade is up +19.9% as of last night's close — the screener's pick worked.
#8. PROK — ProKidney Corp. Class A Ordinary Shares · $401M · score 88.2
PROK (ProKidney Corp. Class A Ordinary Shares) ($401M) Biotech - Drug Development sector — entered the window at $1.85. On the day, our composite tagged it critical: a composite of 88.2 backed by 24.4% of float and 18.7 days-to-cover. The thesis paid off briefly — buyers pushed the tape to $2.09 on the 3rd session for a +13.0% pop. Drawdown was steep — the 18th session saw price tag $1.54, a -16.8% retrace from the start. Net of the round trip, the position prints -10.3%, a clear loss for the buy-and-hold variant.
#9. BBOT — BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock · $713M · score 87.9
BBOT (BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics, Inc. Common Stock) ($713M) Healthcare - Oncology sector — entered the window at $8.82. A critical-risk reading on the squeeze board: a composite of 87.9 backed by 23.4% of float and 24.8 days-to-cover. The squeeze never really fired — the best print was $9.19 on the 1st session, only +4.1% off the entry. The other side of the trade hurt: $3.79 on the 18th session (-57.0% from entry) was the worst of it. Net of the trip, this one is -53.5% — the worst-case outcome for a screener pick.
#10. GLSI — Greenwich LifeSciences, Inc. · $231M · score 87.2
GLSI (Greenwich LifeSciences, Inc.) ($231M) Healthcare - Oncology sector — entered the window at $15.01. The score flagged it as critical-risk squeeze: a composite of 87.2 backed by 25.1% of float and 13.3 days-to-cover. The setup worked: the 14th session brought a high of $20.31, a +35.3% swing from the entry close. Bears never got much: $14.46 on the 6th session, -3.7% below entry, was as deep as it went. Net of all the noise, the trade is up +20.3% as of last night's close — the screener's pick worked.