US Rental Car Stocks Surge 23% After Short Sellers Are Squeezed

Avis Budget Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CAR) closed at $748.01 on the Nasdaq on the 21st, up 22.87% (approximately KRW 1.1 million). Trading volume reached 8,936,558 shares, and the company’s market capitalization swelled to about $26.4 billion (roughly KRW 39 trillion), adding nearly $7.8 billion (around KRW 12 trillion) in a single day.

CAR shares hit intraday record highs as a high short-interest ratio combined with a short squeeze. Last month, the company established an at-the-market (ATM) equity program authorizing the sale of up to 5 million shares. On February 18, Avis Budget Group released its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, emphasizing the potential for medium- to long-term earnings growth despite ongoing cost pressures.

Headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, Avis Budget Group is a global car-rental holding company offering vehicle rental services at airports and city locations worldwide under brands such as Avis, Budget and Zipcar. As a cyclical consumer stock, its financial performance and share price are highly sensitive to travel demand, economic cycles, vehicle procurement costs and interest-rate levels.