The Greggs (LSE:GRG) share price has fallen 42% since the start of January. But the company isn’t in decline by any means – sales grew 7% during the first half of the year.

Given the firm’s position at the start of 2025 though, this shouldn’t be a huge surprise. And understanding this can help long-term investors avoid similar situations in future.

Short sellers make money when shares go down. And just as there are various reasons for thinking a stock will go up, there are different things short sellers look for.

One type of opportunity is known as a ‘Phase 2 Ex-Growth’ short. That’s a fancy name for a situation where a company moves from an initial period of high growth…