jim chanos

T2 · manager / operator

Legendary short seller and fraud detector who famously uncovered Enron, Baldwin United, Wirecard, and other major frauds. Teaches a course on the history of financial market fraud and has developed five systematic models for identifying fraud.

2 calls·2 names·0% bull·last heard last year·Generating Alpha Podcast
track record

no scored calls yet — needs a stated position or a categorical verdict, with a matured window vs SPY

top calls

highest conviction · one per company
1sthigh conviction
$TSLATeslaposition

Chanos reveals Tesla short position trimmed as stock surged 12x in 2020

Chanos held a 3-4% portfolio short position in Tesla during 2020 but was forced to continuously trim as the stock rose 12x, illustrating the asymmetric risk of shorting momentum-driven names.

2ndhigh conviction
$VRXValiant Pharmaceuticals

Chanos details Valiant's pro-forma accounting fraud as business model exploiting SEC rules

Valiant grew by acquiring off-patent drugs, booking purchase price as acquired R&D/goodwill, then adding back amortization as 'non-cash' to report pro-forma EPS while GAAP showed losses — a business model designed to exploit pro-forma accounting loopholes.

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2 total
$TSLA
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Tesla
HIGHjim chanos·Generating Alpha Podcast·last year· position
Chanos reveals Tesla short position trimmed as stock surged 12x in 2020
Chanos held a 3-4% portfolio short position in Tesla during 2020 but was forced to continuously trim as the stock rose 12x, illustrating the asymmetric risk of shorting momentum-driven names.
"whenever we were short 3 4%. And we have to keep trimming it sadly. But same thing when we were famously short America Online in the late 90s. It did the same thing Tesla did. It…"
29:15
$VRX
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Valiant Pharmaceuticals
Chanos details Valiant's pro-forma accounting fraud as business model exploiting SEC rules
Valiant grew by acquiring off-patent drugs, booking purchase price as acquired R&D/goodwill, then adding back amortization as 'non-cash' to report pro-forma EPS while GAAP showed losses — a business model designed to exploit pro-forma accounting loopholes.
"Valiant literally had a business model that took advantage of pro- for accounting you know you have a a very interesting situation on your head."
33:15