Sears Holdings Stock Plunges to New Low on Bankrutpcy Buzz

Short sellers have been in the driver's seat on SHLD stock

Karee Venema

Oct 10, 2018 at 10:27 AM

SHLD

Sears Holdings Corp (NASDAQ:SHLD) could follow Toys 'R Us and Mattress Firm as the next retailer to fold. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Kenmore parent is preparing to file for bankruptcy (subscription required) with a $134 million debt payment due on Monday, Oct. 15. The Journal also reported Sears appointed restructuring specialist Alan Carr to its board yesterday.

In reaction, SHLD has plunged 33.1% to trade at $0.39 -- slicing through yesterday's then-record low of $0.56. The shares hit a fresh bottom at $0.35 earlier, and could be headed toward their worst daily loss ever. On Dec. 27, 2011, SHLD shed 27.2%, its biggest one-day drop to date.

Today's negative price action is just more of the same for a stock that was trading near $120 back in 2007. Sears stock has plunged nearly 89%, and is on track for its 13th loss in 14 sessions.

Short sellers have profited handsomely from Sears Holdings' fundamental and technical troubles. The 20.3 million SHLD shares currently sold short is the most since April 2014, representing 29% of the stock's available float, or seven times the average daily pace of trading.

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