Vallourec tops the SBF 120, but bearish bets are growing
The seamless steel tube manufacturer ranks among the leaders of the Paris stock market, in a market supported by a strong rebound in the indices. The stock is regaining ground after several hesitant sessions, while the short positions declared on the stock have risen markedly.
A rebound that brings the share price back above its short-term averages
Vallourec shares rose 2.95% to €19.01 during the session, while the SBF 120 gained 1.47%. The stock is among the largest gainers in the index and has moved back above its MM20 (€18.55, a gap of +2.45%) as well as its MM50 (€18.59).
Its long-term average remains higher: the MM200, at €20.61, sits 8.4% above the share price. The move follows a nearly flat week (-0.5%) and is part of a monthly gain of 6.4%. It comes as Brent, at $102.20 per barrel, falls 1.35% during the session.
Short bets accumulate nearly 4% of the capital, up over one month
According to the declarations consulted, the net cumulative short position reaches 3.98% of the capital, held by five funds, compared with 2.76% thirty days ago. This level, an increase of 1.22 points, shows that institutional investors remain positioned against the stock or are seeking to hedge an exposure, without their motivations being specified. Today's rebound is therefore taking place against a larger bearish bet than at the beginning of October.
On the fundamental side, the group published its first-half results on July 30, 2026: it reported a liquidity position of $2.0 billion as of June 30 and targeted EBITDA of €190 million for the remainder of the financial year. It also announced in February a share buyback programme of €650 million, which was about 15% executed by mid-May.
On the technical side, resistance at €19.42 lies a little more than 2% above the current share price.
