Wood’s Bargains: A Collector’s Eye

Ark Invest, a veritable whirlwind of transactions, has been rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic – or, rather, buying shares in companies that appear to be doing the same. Madame Wood, a lady of considerable conviction (and, one suspects, a fondness for risk), has been actively shopping. It’s a peculiar spectacle, akin to a connoisseur of broken clocks meticulously assembling a collection. Monday, it seems, was particularly fruitful, a veritable bazaar of digital hopes and dwindling valuations.

One observes that Ms. Wood doesn’t merely invest; she rescues. She’s a modern-day Pygmalion, attempting to breathe life into ventures that have, shall we say, experienced a slight…cooling of enthusiasm. The market, that capricious mistress, has cast them aside, and our heroine gathers them up, convinced she can polish them to a shine. It’s a charming delusion, though one rarely rewarded by the cold logic of quarterly reports.

Among the rescued, three names stand out: CoreWeave, Datadog, and Circle Internet Group. These aren’t the blue chips of a bygone era, but rather the glittering baubles of the digital age, promising fortunes built on algorithms and the ever-elusive promise of disruption. Let us examine these acquisitions with the discerning eye of a seasoned observer – one who has seen more bubbles burst than champagne corks pop.

1. CoreWeave: The GPU Alchemist

CoreWeave, a company born from the unlikely union of hedge fund traders and cryptocurrency mining, is a fascinating specimen. They started, one gathers, by exploiting a temporary imbalance in the market – a common enough practice. But then, they had the audacity to continue exploiting it, even after everyone else had given up. It’s the kind of entrepreneurial spirit one grudgingly admires, even while anticipating the inevitable reckoning. They now offer data center solutions for AI, which is, naturally, the solution to all our problems. Or so we are told.

Their revenue has, indeed, tripled. A most impressive feat! Though one suspects that much of this growth is fueled by the same fervor that drives tulip bulbs and South Sea bubbles. The backlog of orders is equally impressive, though a large order book is merely a promise of future headaches. Still, at $4.6 billion in revenue, they’re not yet beyond salvation. Not yet.

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2. Datadog: The Watchdog That Snoozed

Datadog, once a triple-threat in the software arena, appears to be suffering from a touch of ennui. It tripled since 2019, a respectable climb, but the ascent has slowed to a weary crawl. The last five years have brought less than 30% growth. Investors are now experiencing a 36% decline since October. A sorry state for a company that once promised to monitor everything, including the very fabric of reality.

The company blames AI, naturally. It’s always easier to blame an external force than to admit one’s own shortcomings. But even before the advent of artificial intelligence, growth was decelerating. Revenue is up 27% over the last four quarters – a perfectly respectable figure for a mature company, but hardly the stuff of legends. The analysts predict a mere 21% increase for the coming year. One suspects that Datadog has simply become…comfortable. And comfort, my friends, is the enemy of progress.

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3. Circle Internet Group: The Stablecoin Mirage

Finally, we have Circle Internet Group, purveyors of stablecoins and blockchain solutions. A niche market, to be sure, and one currently facing a headwind. They went public in 2025, briefly achieving near-decamillionaire status, only to plummet 80% from that dizzying height. A cautionary tale, if ever there was one.

Revenue growth accelerated from 53% to 66%, a promising sign. But the market for digital currencies is notoriously fickle. One moment it’s the future of finance, the next it’s a playground for speculators and charlatans. Still, the shares trade above their IPO price, and Ms. Wood clearly believes there’s still some juice to be squeezed. A brave, if somewhat reckless, wager.

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So, there you have it. Three companies rescued from the brink, three gambles taken by a lady who clearly enjoys a challenge. Whether these ventures will ultimately flourish or fade remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the market, that relentless arbiter of value, will have the final say. And it rarely shows mercy.

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2026-02-03 18:24