Hedge Fund Short Sellers Hone In On Two German Companies

Once again it is time for a update on hedge fund short positions, we haven’t covered Germany in a while now, where hedge funds have been increasing their short bets in AIXTRON SE (NASDAQ:AIXG) (ETR:AIXA) (FRA:AIXA). Another hedge fund favorite short in the country is TUI AG. You can also check our full coverage of hedge fund short positions in Germany and the rest of the Europe here.

Highbridge Capital just started a new short position in the stock with a 0.5 percent stake whereas Saemor Capital started a new short bet in 0.59 percent of Aixtron. Oxford Asset Management increased its existing short to 0.9 percent, AQR Capital increased short to 1.02 percent while Barrington Wilshire is now shorting 1.86 percent of the company. AIXTRON SE (NASDAQ:AIXG) (ETR:AIXA) (FRA:AIXA) is up 22 percent in share value YTD.

Aixtron, a semiconductor components company, missed earnings forecast of €0.07 in losses per share and reported loss of €0.56 in actual on Feb. 28, however the actual revenue exceeded expectations. Since the Q4 earnings release the share price has gained 14 percent.

The total short interest disclosed by hedge funds and asset managers in AIXTRON SE (NASDAQ:AIXG) (ETR:AIXA) (FRA:AIXA) now amounts to 16.6 percent of its shares outstanding, this includes the largest short position held by Maverick Capital amounting to 7.8 percent of the company.

Another hedge fund shorting favorite both in Germany is TUI AG (FRA:TUI1) (FRA:TUI1) or TUI Travel in UK. Highbridge Capital initiated a new short in 0.5 percent of TUI’s outstanding shares. Och Ziff, Castle Creek, Polygon Global, Pine River and Pennant Capital also hold a short position in this travel and tourism company. The share price is slightly up for the year overall but down 2 percent in the last 30 days.

Other new disclosures and unique shorts in Germany include, BlackRock’s new position in Stratec Biomedical AG (ETR:SBS) (FRA:SBS), the biotech company is down 5.4 percent YTD. BlackRock also started a new position in Evotec AG (PINK:EVTCY), another biotech company. Euromicron AG Comm. & control tech. (ETR:EUCA) (FRA:EUCA), a data communications and fibre optics company was also a target of BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK) ‘s bearish bet in the past few weeks.

JHL Capital started a short in Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp (NYSE:SBY), which is down 8.5 percent in the last 30 days. Silver Bay is not held as a short bet by any other company, JHL Capital began with a 1.53 percent short which is a large position for a first disclosure.

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