Float Short Percentage

[Robby Luca]

If a Float Short has a high percentage, does this mean the stock has a low Float?
Or a low percentage means low Float?

I use Finviz for screening stocks and the Float Short is in percentage. If I want stocks with low Floats, what percentage am I looking for?

 

[beerntrading]

No, it's the percentage of share short (delayed) relative to the float (shares readily available on the market). Look here to get both (under share stats):

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL/key-statistics?p=AAPL
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/SNAP/key-statistics?p=SNAP

Two extremes to illustrate.

A good resource for questions like these:
http://www.investopedia.com/

 

[Robby Luca]

@beerntrading Ya, I read the definition but didn't really explain percentages. From my understanding a higher percentage is better for people going long, or am I completely wrong?

 

[beerntrading]

@beerntrading Ya, I read the definition but didn't really explain percentages. From my understanding a higher percentage is better for people going long, or am I completely wrong?

It's not inherently a good or bad thing. Higher percentage means you're going to have to pay hard to borrow rates (which can be crippling). Obviously, something with a strong balance sheet and history of innovation (AAPL) is a good buy--remember those percentages are delayed--and has a tiny short percentage. SNAP has a high one, and it would be a good short but for the hard to borrow rate (it sucks when you win on dozens of trades on price, but lose on borrow rate).

But, a high percentage short can also turn around in a hurry when there's a short squeeze and everyone has to buy back.