American Well Sees Surge in Short Interest

Telehealth company's stock faces increased bearish bets as analysts remain mixed on outlook

Apr. 18, 2026 at 2:56am

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A close-up image of the intricate inner workings and hardware components of a telehealth device, rendered in a high-contrast, industrial style that conveys the technological complexity and security behind remote healthcare services.The rise in short bets against American Well reflects investor uncertainty about the company's ability to maintain its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving telehealth market.Boston Today

American Well Corporation (NYSE:AMWL), a Boston-based digital health company that provides telehealth solutions, saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, short interest totaled 310,783 shares, up 20.4% from the prior two-week period. The rise in bearish bets comes as analysts have a mixed outlook on the company's prospects, with one sell-side firm downgrading the stock and cutting its price target.

Why it matters

The surge in short interest suggests some investors are betting against American Well's stock performance, potentially signaling concerns about the company's growth trajectory or competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving telehealth market. This could create volatility for the stock as the bulls and bears battle it out.

The details

According to data from MarketBeat, the days-to-cover ratio, which measures how long it would take short sellers to cover their positions based on average daily trading volume, is currently 8.1 days. This indicates the short interest is relatively high compared to the stock's liquidity. Overall, approximately 2.1% of American Well's shares are currently sold short.

  • As of March 31st, 2026, short interest in American Well totaled 310,783 shares.
  • This represented a 20.4% increase from the March 15th short interest of 258,208 shares.

The players

American Well Corporation

A Boston-based digital health company that develops and delivers telehealth solutions to healthcare providers, payers, employers and patients.

Wall Street Zen

A research firm that recently upgraded American Well's rating from 'sell' to 'hold'.

Weiss Ratings

A research firm that currently has a 'sell (e+)' rating on American Well's stock.

Morgan Stanley

An investment bank that lowered its price target on American Well from $10.50 to $6.00 and maintained an 'equal weight' rating.

Stifel Nicolaus

A financial services firm that reduced its price objective on American Well from $6.00 to $5.00 and kept a 'hold' rating on the shares.

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What’s next

Investors will be closely watching American Well's next earnings report and any updates from the company on its growth initiatives and competitive positioning as it looks to navigate the evolving telehealth landscape.

The takeaway

The surge in short interest in American Well's stock suggests some bearish sentiment, even as the company continues to operate in the fast-growing telehealth market. The mixed analyst views on the stock's outlook indicate there is uncertainty around the company's long-term prospects.