Roaring Kitty Trader Influence Causes Chewy Stock Surge in Memestock Frenzy

Money | July 1, 2024, 9:04 a.m.

The stock price of online pet retailer Chewy experienced significant volatility on Monday following the revelation that internet investor Keith Gill, also known as "Roaring Kitty," had purchased a substantial stake in the company. Chewy shares initially surged 11%, only to quickly drop 3% shortly after. Gill had hinted at his investment in Chewy through a post featuring a dog emoji on X, leading to a rally in the stock. The SEC filing revealed that Gill had acquired shares worth approximately $245 million, representing 6.6% of the entire company. Gill, known for leading the "meme stock" movement, is now facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that his recent trades in GameStop amounted to a "pump and dump" scheme. The investigation into his activities, as well as his relationship with Ryan Cohen, former Chewy co-founder and current GameStop CEO, continues to unfold.