Wood’s Wagers: A Spot of Investing

Now, Cathie Wood, a lady with a decided flair for spotting the next big thing – or, as some might say, a talent for backing horses that might come in – has been rather busily rearranging the furniture in her Ark Innovation ETF. It’s a bit like a particularly enthusiastic game of musical chairs, really, with shares being shuffled about with a cheerful abandon. One observes that, despite the occasional wobble in the market, she continues to believe in the power of innovation, which, dashedly clever, is more than most can say. The fund, you see, isn’t simply about picking stocks; it’s a rather grand experiment in future-gazing, and one must commend the spirit, even if the results are occasionally… spirited.

Let us, therefore, have a look at the latest acquisitions, shall we? Three companies have caught her discerning eye, and one suspects a good deal of careful calculation – or perhaps a particularly persuasive sales pitch – went into these decisions. It’s all frightfully interesting, you know.

1. Figma

First on the list is Figma, a name that sounds suspiciously like something one might order at a particularly fashionable tea room. However, it’s actually a software company, dealing in design collaboration, and a rather useful one at that. Ark has been accumulating shares, a third purchase in as many weeks, which suggests a decided fondness for the company. It’s not yet the star of the show, accounting for a modest 0.66% of the fund, but it’s gaining prominence.

The stock has been a bit up and down lately, a touch volatile, if you will, as investors ponder the pace of growth. But sales are still ticking along nicely – a 40% increase year-on-year – and there’s even a respectable operating margin of 14%. A bit of a gamble, perhaps, but Ms. Wood clearly believes in Figma’s potential. A dash of optimism never hurt anyone, after all.

2. CRISPR Therapeutics

Next up is CRISPR Therapeutics, a company dealing in the rather futuristic field of gene editing. It’s been a mainstay in the Ark Innovation ETF for some time, and Ms. Wood has been adding to her holdings. It currently accounts for a substantial 6.64% of the fund, a truly significant chunk.

Now, CRISPR isn’t exactly raking in the cash at the moment – sales were a mere $3.5 million last year. But the potential, oh, the potential! If even a few of their gene-editing drugs prove successful, the company could see explosive growth. It’s a speculative play, certainly, but one that could reshape the landscape of medicine. A bit of a long shot, perhaps, but Ms. Wood is not one to shy away from a challenge.

3. CoreWeave

Finally, we have CoreWeave, a provider of data center services. A decidedly modern concern, you see, benefiting from the insatiable demand for artificial intelligence processing. Ark has been adding to its holdings, and it now ranks as the 18th-largest holding in the ETF, accounting for around 2% of the total.

CoreWeave is already experiencing strong sales growth, fueled by the AI boom. But the real excitement lies in the future. They’ve secured access to Nvidia’s next-generation Rubin GPUs and CPUs, which should allow them to capitalize on the growing demand for AI processing power. A clever bit of foresight, what! It’s a bit like having a private supply of the finest caviar – exceedingly useful when everyone else is clamoring for a taste.

So there you have it. A spot of investing, conducted with a cheerful optimism and a decided belief in the power of innovation. Whether these wagers will pay off remains to be seen, of course. But one can’t help but admire the spirit. After all, a little bit of risk is a small price to pay for the possibility of a truly remarkable return.

2026-03-01 17:32

1. Figma

2. CRISPR Therapeutics

3. CoreWeave

Read More