Google stock short interest spikes over 20% in a month

Google’s parent company, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), has seen a notable rise in bearish bets, with short interest climbing sharply over the past month.

Current short interest stands at 67.33 million shares, up from 55.47 million in the previous reporting period, a 21.38% increase, according to data retrieved by Finbold from MarketBeat on October 13.

The dollar volume sold short totals $16.94 billion, representing roughly 0.56% of Alphabet’s 12.09 billion outstanding shares. The short interest ratio, which measures how many days it would take short sellers to cover their positions based on average trading volume, is 1.8 days.

Notably, short interest refers to the number of shares investors have sold short, essentially betting that the stock’s price will decline. Rising short interest often reflects growing trader pessimism or expectations of weakness, though it can also trigger a short squeeze if prices rise suddenly.

Alphabet’s trading volume of 33.02 million shares, slightly above its 31.96 million average, suggests increased activity alongside the surge in short bets. 

Despite only a small portion of shares being shorted, the sharp monthly jump points to investor caution ahead of earnings or potential market volatility. However, if Google’s fundamentals remain strong, it could fuel short-covering rallies.

GOOGL stock outlook

Meanwhile, despite the growing bearish sentiment, Google’s stock remains in the green in 2025, closing the last trading session at $237, up nearly 25% year-to-date.

On the other hand, Wall Street remains broadly optimistic on Alphabet, with analysts projecting moderate upside for the tech giant over the next 12 months.

Based on estimates from 38 analysts tracked by TipRanks, the average price target sits at $254, implying a 7.37% gain from the latest closing price of $236. 

Forecasts range from a high of $300 to a low of $190, reflecting differing views on Alphabet’s growth prospects amid evolving AI competition and digital ad market dynamics.

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