After ITT's Short Squeeze, Who Could Be Next?

ITT Educational Services, Inc. ESI has had a very rough year; its stock is down nearly 73.5 percent year-to-date.

However, shares have recovered since the end of the third quarter. Last Friday, the stock rose 35 percent on the back of action that some traders attributed to a short squeeze.The company's entry into a $100 million term loan agreement with Cerberus Business Finance might also have played a role.

The stock's current short interest ratio stands around 1.7 days, down from 18 days a few weeks earlier. ITT's current short percentage of float stands at 51 percent.

So, what other educational services stocks face similarly high short interest?

1 Trading Idea

Strayer Education Inc STRA is one example. Shares currently sport a short percentage of float near 18 percent, with a short ratio near 9. The stock has more than doubled year-to-date.

In August, Piper Jaffray, Wells Fargo and BMO Capital all upgraded their ratings on Strayer. The latter two firms presently hold Outperform ratings on the stock.

Grand Canyon Education Inc LOPE is another name to watch. Short statistics are less severe here, though shares are up over 7 percent over the past three months.