Beyond Meat Surges on Heavy Volume

Shares of Beyond Meat (NASDAQ: BYND) soared 24% in early Monday trading, with retail investors driving momentum amid growing chatter of a potential short squeeze.

By 7:15 a.m. ET, trading volume had surpassed that of market giants like Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Palantir (PLTR) in the pre-market session.

Debt Swap Sparks Dilution and Restructuring

The plant-based meat company hit an all-time low of $0.50 last Thursday after management executed a major debt restructuring deal:

Exchanged $1 billion in senior convertible notes (due 2027, 0% coupon)
For $196 million in second-lien notes (due 2030, 7% coupon)
And 316 million new shares, a 300%+ dilution of existing equity holders

This move made the former bondholders the company’s largest shareholders and significantly changed Beyond Meat’s ownership structure.

Retail Traders Fuel “Meme Stock” Momentum

A social media personality known as capybaraSTOCKS, formerly active on Reddit and now on YouTube, has been credited with reigniting retail enthusiasm.
The influencer, claiming to hold 4% of Beyond Meat, argued that:

The company has reduced debt and maintained brand value
There’s potential for a short squeeze
The stock is seeing massive retail and community interest

They noted that nearly 500 million shares traded on Friday, a level of activity typical of “meme stock” rallies.

Short Interest Remains Extremely High

Beyond Meat remains one of the most shorted U.S. equities, with over 50% of shares sold short earlier this month, according to Bloomberg data.
That figure is likely to decline in the near term following the debt-for-equity swap, as newly issued shares are temporarily restricted from being sold or transferred.