Avis Budget's Stock Plummets Amid Short Selling Pressure
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 12 2026
0mins
Should l Buy CAR?
Source: Fool
Avis Budget Group's shares fell 17.58% in pre-market trading, hitting a 5-day low, reflecting ongoing volatility in the stock.
The decline follows a significant rating downgrade from JPMorgan, which lowered Avis's rating from 'Neutral' to 'Underweight' with a price target of $165, indicating a potential downside of 62.8%. This downgrade comes amid concerns over the company's valuation and the impact of heavy short selling, with over 93% of Avis's shares being shorted, leading to increased market volatility.
The stock's recent fluctuations highlight the challenges Avis faces in maintaining investor confidence, especially with upcoming earnings expectations and a bearish sentiment shift among retail investors. Analysts are closely monitoring the situation as the company prepares to report its Q1 earnings.
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Analyst Views on CAR
Wall Street analysts forecast CAR stock price to fall
1 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Hold
Current: 154.060
Low
142.00
Averages
142.00
High
142.00
Current: 154.060
Low
142.00
Averages
142.00
High
142.00
About CAR
Avis Budget Group, Inc. is a provider of mobility solutions through its three brands, Avis, Budget and Zipcar, as well as several other brands. Its brands offer a range of options, from car and truck rental to car sharing. Its segments include Americas and International. The Americas segment consists primarily of vehicle rental operations in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean and operates car-sharing operations in certain of these markets. The International segment consists of vehicle rental operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australasia, and operates car-sharing operations in certain of these markets. The Avis brand provides vehicle rental and other mobility solutions at price points generally above non-branded and value-branded vehicle rental companies and serves the premium commercial and leisure segments of the travel industry. Its other brands include Payless, Apex, AmicoBlu, Maggiore, Morini Rent, FranceCars, and others.
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.
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See More
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See More
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See More
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