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Inside The DORK Frenzy: What's Really Fueling This Meme Stock Revival?

Benzinga·07/24/2025 20:10:34
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A fresh batch of meme stocks—dubbed the "DORK" (DNUT, OPEN, RKLB, KSS) – just gave Wall Street a masterclass in how gamma squeezes can whip markets into a frenzy.

See how DNUT stock has soared recently, here.

The DORKs Show Us How Gamma Squeezes Work

These names, including Krispy Kreme Inc (NASDAQ:DNUT), Opendoor Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:OPEN), Rocket Lab USA Inc (NASDAQ:RKLB), Kohls Corp (NYSE:KSS) and GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO), erupted not on fundamentals but on the back of out-of-the-money call options feverishly bought by retail traders.

Gamma squeezes usually happen in highly shorted or volatile stocks. As the stock price rises, Gamma (which measures the price sensitivity of an option to the stock moves) forces market makers to adjust (buy more stock) more aggressively.

The result? Market makers scrambled to hedge, pushing prices sky-high in a matter of hours.

Read Also: Krispy Kreme Stock Spikes As Meme Mania, Short Squeeze Frenzy Returns

Opendoor soared a jaw-dropping 440% in July before reality bit back. Kohl's surged 105% intraday before being halted, ultimately settling with a 39% gain – still massive for a company weighed down by long-term retail woes.

Flashpoints: Opendoor, Kohl's & Krispy Kreme

Opendoor experienced a 330% increase in just six sessions before tanking by 20% in a single day. Kohl's, with nearly half its float shorted, became a textbook gamma melt-up.

Meanwhile, Krispy Kreme jumped 27% before trimming to 18%, despite underwhelming earnings.

Even GoPro, a longtime retail darling, leapt about 45% before pulling back, just enough to secure its DORK badge.

Casino Market: Big Wins, Bigger Risks

For retail investors, this is the new lottery. One Redditor claimed a $45,000 gain on a $45 Kohl's call option. But like any good casino, the house always wins eventually. Once gamma flows unwind, these stocks drop fast, leaving latecomers holding the bag.

Short sellers aren't spared either. Their panic-fueled exits only pour gas on the fire before they, too, get crushed in the aftermath. Even market makers get burned—forced to buy high, then sell low as the chaos reverses.

The Takeaway

The DORK rally isn't about fundamentals—it's about gamma, sentiment, and speed. These surges can be thrilling, but they're also a reminder that meme-stock mania is more roulette than research.

Play if you must—but don't forget when to walk away.

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Photo: Shutterstock