Most Shorted ASX Small Caps — 23 Feb 2026

3 min read Weekly Analysis

ASIC publishes daily aggregate short-selling data for all ASX-listed securities. Short interest — the percentage of a company's issued shares that are sold short — is a key indicator of market sentiment and potential for short squeezes.

Currently, 384 ASX small-cap stocks in our universe have reported short interest. The top 20 most shorted are listed below.

Most Shorted ASX Small Caps

Ticker Short % Trend Score Sector
BOE17.0%→ Stable56Energy
DMP15.7%→ Stable54Consumer Cyclical
TWE14.3%↑ Rising59Consumer Defensive
GYG13.8%→ Stable71Consumer Cyclical
PNV12.5%→ Stable55Healthcare
TLX12.3%→ Stable73Healthcare
IEL11.8%↑ Rising58Consumer Defensive
IPH11.7%→ Stable58Industrials
FLT10.9%→ Stable59Consumer Cyclical
NAN10.2%→ Stable58Healthcare
PWH9.8%→ Stable70Consumer Cyclical
DRO9.6%→ Stable59Industrials
KAR9.6%→ Stable61Energy
SLX9.0%→ Stable47Technology
LIC8.8%→ Stable58Real Estate
ILU8.3%→ Stable55Basic Materials
DGT7.9%→ Stable55Real Estate
IPX7.8%→ Stable58Basic Materials
DYL7.7%→ Stable55Energy
BAP7.4%→ Stable52Consumer Cyclical

How to Read Short Interest Data

High short interest (above 5%) can indicate bearish institutional sentiment, but it also creates conditions for a potential short squeeze if positive catalysts emerge. Stocks with declining short interest while maintaining high conviction scores may represent opportunities where the short thesis is unwinding.

Short interest data is sourced from ASIC's daily short-selling reports and cross-referenced with our multi-dimensional scoring on the SmallCapData dashboard.

GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY — This article is produced by an algorithm and does not constitute personal financial advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. SmallCapData does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). You should consider seeking independent financial advice before making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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