Riot Platforms Targeted by Kerrisdale Capital's Short Sell Report: Details (UPDATED)
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 05 2024
0mins
Should l Buy RIOT?
Source: Benzinga
- Riot Platforms, Inc RIOT Shares: Trading lower after Kerrisdale Capital's report expressing a bearish view on the stock due to its focus on energy arbitrage and stock issuance over generating shareholder value through crypto mining.
- Concerns Raised by Analyst: Bitcoin mining is criticized for being a poor business model for public companies due to unpredictable revenue, high capital requirements, fierce competition, commodity nature of the product, and regulatory scrutiny.
- Issues Highlighted: Riot has never shown positive cash flow or decent returns, with excessive management compensation and frequent dilution of shares.
- Texas Regulatory Environment: Texas' lenient regulatory environment for Bitcoin miners is changing due to concerns over environmental impact, leading to increased oversight and legislation that could affect financial incentives.
- Response from Riot Platforms: Riot disagreed with the negative characterization, stating confidence in their growth plans and financial performance, while the analyst suggested better Bitcoin exposure options exist through low-fee ETFs and ETPs.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy RIOT?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on RIOT
Wall Street analysts forecast RIOT stock price to rise
9 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 14.330
Low
20.00
Averages
27.00
High
42.00
Current: 14.330
Low
20.00
Averages
27.00
High
42.00
About RIOT
Riot Platforms, Inc. is a Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure company. The Company has Bitcoin mining operations in central Texas and Kentucky, and electrical engineering and fabrication operations in Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas. It operates a Bitcoin-driven infrastructure platform. Its segments include Bitcoin Mining and Engineering. The Bitcoin Mining segment is engaged in Bitcoin mining activities. The Engineering segment designs and manufacturers power distribution equipment and custom engineered electrical products. This segment also provides electricity distribution product design, manufacturing, and installation services primarily focused on large-scale commercial and governmental customers and serves clients across a range of markets including data center, power generation, utility, water, industrial, and alternative energy. It is also focused on developing a portion of its power capacity for artificial intelligence (AI)/ high-performance computing (HPC) uses.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Market Performance: On Tuesday, the S&P 500 Index fell by 0.37%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.18%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index dropped by 0.77%, reflecting investor concerns over the ongoing conflict in Iran and a general decline in market sentiment.
- Oil Price Fluctuations: WTI crude oil prices surged over 4%, reaching elevated levels due to Iran's missile and drone strikes on Israel and US bases, raising fears about energy supply disruptions that could impact global economic recovery.
- Economic Data: Despite market pressures, Q4 nonfarm productivity remained at 1.8%, while unit labor costs were revised up to 4.4%, exceeding expectations, indicating resilience in the economic fundamentals that may provide some support to the stock market.
- International Tensions: Reports of Saudi Arabia and the UAE aligning with the Iran conflict have heightened market anxiety, as investors are closely monitoring the potential for increased US military deployment, which could escalate tensions and affect global market stability.
See More
- Market Movement: The S&P 500 Index is down 0.16%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 0.13%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index has decreased by 0.50%, reflecting investor concerns over the ongoing Iran conflict, which is dampening market sentiment.
- Rising Energy Prices: WTI crude oil prices have surged over 4% due to Iran's missile strikes on Israel and US bases, which not only limits stock market declines but also raises inflation expectations, potentially influencing future monetary policy decisions.
- Economic Data Performance: The US Q4 nonfarm productivity remained unchanged at 1.8%, while unit labor costs were revised up to 4.4% from 2.8%, exceeding market expectations, indicating economic resilience that may support the stock market.
- International Tensions Impact: Saudi Arabia and the UAE have taken steps toward joining the Iran war, potentially escalating the conflict, which increases market concerns about future geopolitical risks and drives investors towards safer assets.
See More
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.66%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 0.57%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.80%, all reaching 3.75-month lows, indicating market concerns over inflation and economic slowdown due to the Middle East conflict.
- Surge in Energy Prices: European natural gas prices surged over 24% to a three-year high after Qatar reported extensive damage at its largest gas export facility, exacerbating fears of supply disruptions that could further elevate global inflation.
- Rising Bond Yields: The 10-year Treasury note yield jumped to a 6.75-month high of 4.32% as stronger-than-expected US economic data indicated labor market resilience, increasing expectations for future rate hikes and adding pressure on the stock market.
- International Market Weakness: Overseas stock markets fell sharply, with the Euro Stoxx 50 hitting a 1.5-week low and China's Shanghai Composite dropping to a 2.5-month low, reflecting heightened risks of global economic slowdown impacting investor sentiment.
See More
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 Index fell by 1.36%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a 3.75-month low, indicating a decline in investor confidence due to rising inflation concerns that could impact future market performance.
- Inflation Data Surpasses Expectations: The US February Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by 0.7% month-over-month and 3.4% year-over-year, exceeding forecasts, which suggests persistent price pressures that may influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions.
- Energy Price Volatility: Crude oil prices have become more volatile due to Iran's attacks on neighboring countries, with the IEA warning that the conflict could disrupt global oil supply by 8 million barrels per day, further heightening inflation expectations.
- Mortgage Applications Decline: US MBA mortgage applications fell by 10.9%, reflecting weakened home-buying demand, while the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.30%, potentially hindering the recovery of the housing market.
See More
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 fell 1.36% and the Dow Jones dropped 1.63%, both hitting new closing lows for 2026, indicating investor concerns about economic prospects that could lead to decreased market confidence.
- Fed Rate Decision: The Federal Reserve voted 11-1 to maintain the benchmark interest rate at 3.5%-3.75%, despite higher-than-expected inflation, reflecting a cautious optimism about economic growth that may influence future monetary policy directions.
- Oil Price Volatility: WTI crude oil prices swung more than 2% due to Iran's attacks on neighboring countries, which could lead to further increases in global oil prices, impacting cost structures and profit margins in related industries.
- Producer Price Index Rise: The US February PPI rose 0.7% month-over-month and 3.4% year-over-year, exceeding market expectations, indicating persistent price pressures that may prompt the Fed to adopt a tighter monetary policy in the future.
See More
- Crypto PAC Setback: Fairshake, which spent over $10 million opposing Illinois candidate Juliana Stratton, saw its efforts fail as she won the primary and is expected to take office next year, highlighting the limitations of financial influence in politics.
- Democratic Candidate Victory: Stratton's primary win, despite her 'F' rating from Stand With Crypto, indicates that her opponents could not effectively sway voters, potentially leading to challenges for the regulatory framework favored by the crypto industry.
- Other Candidates' Success: Fairshake-backed candidates like Nikki Budzinski and Melissa Bean also won their respective primaries, further solidifying Democratic dominance in deep-blue districts, which may impact future legislative agendas.
- AI PAC Wins: Similar to Fairshake, the AI industry PAC achieved some victories in the primaries, with supported candidates likely to advocate for favorable regulations for crypto and AI companies, demonstrating the potential political influence of industry PACs.
See More











