http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2ce144b0-a456-11dd-8104-000077b07658.html
free float is 5.8% of 291 million or about 16.87 million shares.
As of last Thursday, 12.9% loaned, or about 37.53 million shares.
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But the sudden disclosure meant there was a free float of only 5.8 per cent â the state of Lower Saxony owns 20.1 per cent â sparking panic among hedge funds. Many had bet on VWâs share price falling and the rise on Monday led to estimated losses among them of â¬10bn-â¬15bn ($12.5bn-$18.8bn).
As of last Thursday, according to consultancy Data Explorers, 12.9 per cent of VWâs shares were on loan for investors to go short and bet on them falling â the highest percentage of any German company.
Shares in VW closed up â¬309.15 at â¬520, giving it a market capitalisation of â¬153bn, more than all the other US and European carmakers put together.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/03012d40-a45b-11dd-8104-000077b07658,s01=1.html
VW is a very tightly held stock because, alongside Porsche, the German state of Lower Saxony owns 20.1 per cent, leaving a very small free float of less than 6 per cent. Yet, as of October 23, about 12.9 per cent of VWâs ordinary shares were on loan for short sales â representing the highest proportion for any company on Germanyâs 30-member benchmark Dax index.
Worse, index-tracking funds also hold stakes in VW and must retain their holdings so long as VW is a member of the Dax index.
With the short interest now almost twice the free float, it leaves hardly any shares for the hedge funds to buy back and close their positions.