Key Highlights

  • Jack in the Box is trading 6.03% higher at $11.95, with 33.09% of shares outstanding and 51.31% of float sold short.
  • Groupon has 15.45 days to cover, the longest of the six names, at the October 15 settlement.
  • Dave & Buster's Entertainment is trading 4.95% higher at $7.96 with no dated release behind the move.
  • Kohl's is trading 2.19% lower at $23.26 after raising its fiscal 2026 outlook in August.
  • Shoe Station Group has about 34.7% of shares outstanding sold short (calculated), the highest share-count ratio of the six.

Which Retail and Restaurant Stocks Are Moving Today With Heavy Short Interest?

Six heavily shorted retail and restaurant names are moving on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK) is trading 6.03% higher at $11.95, and Dave & Buster's Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) is trading 4.95% higher at $7.96 with no dated release. RH (NYSE:RH) is trading 0.85% higher at $141.95, and Shoe Station Group (NASDAQ:SHOE) is trading 0.84% higher at $14.36 after a guidance cut. Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) is trading 2.19% lower at $23.26 after raising its outlook, and Groupon (NASDAQ:GRPN) is trading 2.72% lower at $16.07 with 15.45 days to cover.

The sections below are ordered by size of the move, from the largest gain to the largest decline. Short-interest settlement dates differ by name, and some figures are stated against float while others are stated against shares outstanding, so the comparison section keeps those bases apart.

Jack in the Box: Why Is a Heavily Shorted Stock Trading 6.03% Higher?

Shares are trading 6.03% higher at $11.95, against an implied prior close of about $11.27 (calculated), and no dated release explains the move. The San Diego company franchises and operates quick-service restaurants, with 149 company-operated and 1,966 franchise-operated sites at July 5, 2026, after selling its Del Taco business. Short interest of 6.35 million shares equals 33.09% of the 19.18 million shares outstanding and 51.31% of a 12.37 million share float, with 11.47 days to cover on the latest available data. Third-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue was $257.7 million, down from $262.4 million, and long-term debt was $1,428.7 million against $46.3 million of cash. The fiscal fourth-quarter report is expected around December 9, 2026.

Dave & Buster's Entertainment: Is the 4.95% Jump a Rebound in a Heavily Shorted Name?

Shares are trading 4.95% higher at $7.96 with no dated release, following a 6.70% drop on October 23 to a close of $6.96, so a rebound in a heavily shorted stock is the likelier backdrop. Short interest was 9,733,845 shares, or 28.44% of float, at the September 30 settlement, with 3.6 days to cover. Second-quarter revenue fell 2.4% to $544.1 million and comparable store sales fell 2.9%. The net loss was $12.5 million, or $0.36 per share, against an $11.4 million profit a year earlier. Cash was $16.0 million against about $1.50 billion of long-term debt, and market capitalization is near $252 million. Third-quarter results are estimated for around December 8.

RH: What Sits Behind a 0.85% Gain and 6.12 Days to Cover?

Shares are trading 0.85% higher at $141.95, from an implied prior close of about $140.75 (calculated), and no company release dated October 28 accompanies the move. RH is a luxury home furnishings retailer built around design galleries and is expanding internationally. Short interest was 5,446,687 shares at the October 15 settlement, about 28.8% of shares outstanding (calculated), with 6.12 days to cover. Second-quarter revenue was $922.2 million, up 2.6%, and adjusted EBITDA of $178.5 million included a $55.1 million tariff benefit; excluding it, adjusted EBITDA was $123.5 million, a 13.4% margin. Fiscal 2026 revenue growth is guided to 5.5% to 7.0%, and the third-quarter report is estimated for around December 10, a date not yet confirmed.

Shoe Station Group: How Crowded Is the Short Position After a Guidance Cut?

Shares are trading 0.84% higher at $14.36, an implied prior close of about $14.24 (calculated), and no dated company release accompanied the move. The footwear retailer, formerly Shoe Carnival, changed its name and ticker on June 11, 2026, and is based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Short interest was 9,433,960 shares at the September 30 settlement, up 680,052 from September 15, about 34.7% of the 27.18 million shares outstanding (calculated), with 7.20 days to cover. Second-quarter net sales fell to $284.3 million from $306.4 million, comparable store sales fell 7.1%, and gross margin dropped to 31.9% from 38.8%. Fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance was cut to $0.75 to $0.90, and the company held $131.6 million of cash and marketable securities with no debt. The next report is due November 19.

Kohl's: Does a Raised Outlook Offset 28.8% of Shares Outstanding Sold Short?

Shares are trading 2.19% lower at $23.26, an implied prior close near $23.78 (calculated), and no announcement dated today accompanied the decline. Short interest was 32,691,760 shares for the October 15 settlement, equal to 28.8% of shares outstanding, with 7.41 days to cover; a percentage of float was not published. Second-quarter net sales fell 0.9% to $3.3 billion, while net income of $151 million, or $1.28 per diluted share, included about $150 million of tariff refunds received. Fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS guidance was raised to $1.80 to $2.40, and the company plans up to $100 million of share repurchases in 2026. The market value works out to roughly $2.64 billion (calculated).

Groupon: What Do 15.45 Days to Cover Mean After a 35.7% Slide Since August?

Shares are trading 2.72% lower at $16.07, an implied prior close of about $16.52 (calculated), and no company release dated October 28 accompanied the move. The online marketplace connects consumers with local merchants, and the stock has fallen about 35.7% since the August 6 results. Short interest was 12,549,059 shares at the October 15 settlement, about 30.9% of shares outstanding (calculated), with 15.45 days to cover on average daily volume of 812,222 shares. Second-quarter global billings and revenue each fell 1%, active customers rose 2% to 16.1 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $14.8 million against $15.6 million. Full-year 2026 adjusted EBITDA is guided to $75 million to $80 million, with cash of $226.3 million.

Heavily Shorted Retail and Restaurant Stocks Compared: Move Gaps, Short Interest and Price

On the day's moves, Jack in the Box at plus 6.03% and Groupon at minus 2.72% are 8.75 percentage points apart (calculated), and Jack in the Box and Dave & Buster's Entertainment are 1.08 percentage points apart (calculated). The gap between RH at $141.95 and Dave & Buster's Entertainment at $7.96 is $133.99 a share (calculated).

On short interest as a share of shares outstanding, Shoe Station Group at about 34.7% (calculated) is 5.9 percentage points above Kohl's at 28.8% (calculated). Dave & Buster's Entertainment is stated against float at 28.44%, and Jack in the Box is 51.31% of float, so those two are not ranked against the others. On days to cover, Groupon at 15.45 is 11.85 days above Dave & Buster's Entertainment at 3.6 (calculated). Settlement dates are October 15 for Kohl's, RH and Groupon and September 30 for Shoe Station Group and Dave & Buster's Entertainment, and Jack in the Box shows its latest available reading.

What to Watch Next: Groupon on November 5, Shoe Station Group on November 19 and the November 10 Short-Interest Release

Groupon reports third-quarter results on Thursday, November 5, 2026, and options pricing implies a move of about 15.8% around the report. Shoe Station Group reports on November 19, while Jack in the Box, Dave & Buster's Entertainment and RH are estimated to report between December 8 and December 10. The short-interest figures for the October 30 settlement are expected on November 10, and today's moves are one-session readings that later sessions may change.