News & Events zu Charter Communications Inc (CHTR)CHTRCharter Communications Inc

Charter Communications Short Interest Rises to 32.4%

Welcome to this week's installment of "The Short Interest Report" - The Fly's weekly recap of short interest trends among some of the most widely followed high-short-float stocks. Using the data from our partner, which utilizes the latest information from stock lenders to estimate short interest changes for thousands of publicly traded companies, this report will screen for some of biggest changes in short interest as a percentage of free float and days-to-cover ratios while also considering the short interest data on some of the more volatile and heavier-traded names of the week. Based on the availability of data from Ortex, the report tracks the trading period that covers prior Friday through Thursday of this week, excluding holidays. As a basis of comparison for stocks discussed below, the S&P 500 index was down 2.0%, the Nasdaq Composite was down 2.8%, the Russell 2000 index was down 2.0%, the Russell 2000 Growth ETFwas down 2.6% and the Russell 2000 Value ETFwas down 1.3% in the five-day trading session range through August 20th.SHORT INTEREST GAINERSOrtex-reported short interest in Charter Communicationshad been tracking higher from fairly contained sub-15% range since mid-2025, coinciding with the company's earnings that precipitated its subsequent loss of nearly two thirds of its value over the next year. This week however, the buildup in bearish positioning was far more pronounced, just as the company has finally completed its Cox Communications transaction with the acquisition of Liberty Broadband. Short interest as a percentage of free float on Charter Communications rose from 29.6% to 32.4%, the highest level on record for the stock. Days to cover on the name rose by a more modest margin from 7.2 to 7.9, reflecting the spike in trading volume on deal completion date. In the five-day period covered, Charter was down 5.8%, and year-to-date, the stock has now fallen 28%.Ortex reported short interest in UiPathpeaked following seven months of uptrend above 36% in mid-July. With shares moving up over 60%, bearish position had then retrenched back below 27% through the first week of August. This week however, shorts are rebuilding exposure – short interest as a percentage of free float was up from 29.4% to 31.6%, even as days-to-cover slipped from 2.0 to 1.9 amid generally elevated trading volumes over the past three months. The stock was down 4.6% in the five-day period covered through Thursday, but inclusive of Friday's 3% rise, it has now erased all of this year's losses. The company is set to report its Q2 results on September 3rd.SHORT INTEREST DECLINERSOrtex reported short interest in Surgery Partnershad tracked in a sideways range of 24% to 29% since the first week of March, though this week has seen a clear breakdown of expression in the bearish thesis, even though the stock has come under notable pressure since the company reported earnings on August 10th. Short interest as a percentage of free float in Surgery Partners slipped from 24.8% to 20.1% - the lowest levels since November of 2025. Days to cover also fell from 9.3 to 8.5, with an added boost coming from a rise in the number of sessions with relatively large trading volume. Even though the company's Q2 earnings topped estimates and the Street was largely positive on its announced divestitures, the stock fell 8% in the five-day period covered through Thursday. Shares bounced 4% on Friday however, bringing the year-to-date tally for the stock to a negative 6%.Ortex-reported short interest in Wix.compeaked near 34% of free float on June 12, preceding the multi-year low in the stock price by roughly a week. As the subsequent rebound in shares gained momentum, short positioning steadily unwound, with the bearish retreat becoming particularly pronounced this week. In the five-day period covered through Thursday, short interest as a percentage of free float plunged from 26.4% to 19.3%, its lowest level since mid-May. Days-to-cover also declined from 4.7 to 4.4, reinforcing the broader trend of short covering. Amid the apparent short squeeze, the stock gained about 3% during the five-day period covered, though shares still remain down 21% year-to-date.

Charter Completes Transaction with Cox Communications and Liberty Broadband

Charter (CHTR) has completed its transaction with Cox Communications and the acquisition of Liberty Broadband (LBRDK). A subsidiary of Cox Enterprises received: approximately 33.6 million common units in Charter's existing partnership, with an implied value of approximately $5B, and which are exchangeable for Charter common shares; $6B of convertible preferred units of Charter Holdings, with a 6.875% coupon, convertible into 12.6 million common units of Charter Holdings, and exchangeable for Charter common shares; and a total of approximately $4B in cash. In aggregate, Charter issued the equivalent of just over 46 million Charter shares to a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Cox Enterprises and its subsidiaries now own approximately 26% of the combined entity's fully diluted shares outstanding. Additionally, approximately $12B of Cox debt and finance leases will remain outstanding at subsidiaries of Charter as a result of the transaction. Concurrent with the closing of the Cox transaction, Charter closed its transaction with Liberty Broadband. Each holder of Liberty Broadband Series A common stock, Series B common stock, and Series C common stock received 0.236 of a share of Charter common stock per share of Liberty Broadband common stock held, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares. Each holder of Liberty Broadband Series A cumulative redeemable preferred stock received one share of newly issued Charter cumulative redeemable preferred stock per share of Liberty Broadband preferred stock held. As a result of the transaction, Charter retired approximately 38.6 million Charter shares previously owned by Liberty Broadband and issued approximately 33.9 million shares to holders of Liberty Broadband common stock at closing, resulting in a net decrease of approximately 4.7 million Charter shares outstanding. Charter assumed approximately $840M of Liberty Broadband net debt that will be repaid shortly after closing, and $180M of preferred equity that became Charter preferred equity upon the close of the transaction. At close, Liberty Broadband ceased to be a direct shareholder in Charter and no longer designates directors for election to the Charter board. Within a year following the transaction, the company will change its parent company name to Cox Communications but will continue to operate as Spectrum across all markets. The company also will remain headquartered in Stamford, CT, keeping a significant presence in Atlanta, GA.

Major Averages Broadly Lower Near Noon

The major averages were broadly lower near noon as investors continue to balance easing inflation pressures and strong corporate earnings against renewed geopolitical risks.The inflation backdrop remains supportive for equities. July CPI and PPI both came in softer than expected, reducing concerns that the Federal Reserve will need to raise interest rates at its September meeting. PPI was unchanged in July after declining 0.1% in June, while the latest CPI data showed inflation continuing to moderate. The market is increasingly focused on whether the combination of cooling inflation and a weakening labor market will give the Fed room to ease policy later this year.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Applied Materialsreportedand provided upbeat Q4 earnings guidanceU.S. President Donald Trumpand their parts and componentsRedditwasAvalonBayin the S&P 500 at the August 18 openTeslaredesigned Roadster may have flying capabilities,OpenAI is on pace to generate annualized revenue of over $40B based on its present performance,2. WALL STREET CALLS:New StreetMicronto Buy, sees multi-trillion market cap by 2030SanDiskwith a raised Overweight rating at JPMorganCiscoto Hold at HSBCWayfairto Outperform at BernsteinFox Corp.to Overweight at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan3. AROUND THE WEB:Nokiais closing its research and development unit in Hangzhou, China, and cutting 1,600 jobs, Helsingin saysCharter Communicationsreceived final approval from California regulators to buy Cox Communications for $21.9B, WSJ reportsGoldman Sachsis courting investors to participate in Nvidia's$500B AI infrastructure financing initiative, leveraging its longstanding Nvidia relationship to secure a key role in mobilizing capital for the AI buildout, Reuters saysBPand UAE-based XRG have secured an exploration and production license for Venezuela's Loran offshore gas field, which holds an estimated 4 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas and straddles the Venezuela-Trinidad and Tobago maritime boundary, WSJ reportsApplehas trained a large language model in partnership with Alibabafor China's market, Reuters reports4. MOVERS:Capricor Therapeuticsgains afterand announcing the FDA is "willing" to review the company's BLA amendment for its HOPE-3 studyValnevaincreases in New York after announcing with Pfizerthat the EMA has validated theIntermexhigher after providing an update on itsfor Western Union'spending acquisition of the companyKinderCarefalls afterand cutting its guidance for FY26Merlinand York Space Systemslower in New York after5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Heartflowand raised its outlook for FY26Midera Food, with CEO Mark Salman commenting, "We saw continued momentum in the second quarter, with orders up 16% and the backlog reaching $446 million"Teamsharesand backed its outlook for FY26DLocal, with CEO Pedro Arnt commenting, "TPV growth has remained above 50% year-over-year for seven consecutive quarters, with the last three quarters at or above 70%"FocalThericsand backed its outlook for FY26INDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was down 0.19%, or 103.36, to 53,736.63, the Nasdaq was down 0.48%, or 128.01, to 26,675.02, and the S&P 500 was down 0.21%, or 16.73, to 7,782.26.