ARK ETFs Adjust Holdings: Palantir Out, Roku In

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest management firm publishes daily trading activity from its various exchange-traded funds (ETFs), offering a glimpse into their high-conviction investment strategy. The report for Friday, May 2nd, 2025, highlighted notable changes in holdings, revealing significant buys and sells across sectors targeted by ARK’s focus on disruptive innovation. These daily disclosures are closely watched by investors seeking insight into ARK’s portfolio management decisions.

ARK Invest’s Strategy: Focusing on Disruption

ARK Invest is known for its investment philosophy centered on identifying and investing in companies that are leaders in disruptive innovation. This includes areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, genomics, energy storage, and fintech. The firm aims to capture long-term growth potential in companies expected to fundamentally change how the world works.

 

Managing a suite of thematic ETFs like the flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW), ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG), ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF), 1 and ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ), ARK frequently adjusts holdings based on its analysts’ research and market conditions.

 

Key Selling Activity on May 2nd

Friday’s trading activity saw several notable divestments by ARK’s ETFs. The largest sell, in terms of dollar value, involved Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR). ARK sold shares totaling $30,733,157 across multiple ETFs in its portfolio. This substantial sale continues a recent trend observed in ARK’s daily trades, where the firm has been reducing its overall stake in the data analytics company.

 

Other significant sales included Veracyte Inc (VCYT), a genomic diagnostics company, from which ARK sold 313,583 shares valued at $9,316,550. This also aligns with ARK’s recent pattern of decreasing exposure to Veracyte. Additionally, ARK divested shares of the social media platform Reddit Inc (RDDT) totaling $6,073,019, and gaming company Roblox Corp (RBLX) valued at $1,541,115.

 

Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp (ADPT), a company focused on immune medicine, saw ARK sell 397,669 shares for $2,926,843, contributing to a broader trend of ARK reducing positions in certain biotechnology stocks. These sales represent decisions to either take profits, rebalance exposure, or reallocate capital to other opportunities within ARK’s thematic focus.

 

Key Buying Activity on May 2nd

In contrast to the selling side, ARK demonstrated continued bullishness on certain companies by increasing its positions. Topping the list of buys by dollar value was Roku Inc (ROKU), the streaming device and platform maker. ARK purchased 369,016 shares of Roku, totaling an investment of $24,823,706. This acquisition continues a pattern of accumulation in Roku stock by ARK’s ETFs, signaling the firm’s confidence in the company’s long-term growth prospects within the connected TV and advertising space.

 

Another significant investment was made in Guardant Health Inc (GH), a precision oncology company. ARK invested $20,535,271 in Guardant Health, continuing a trend of increasing its stake. This move suggests a positive outlook on the company’s position within the healthcare technology and genomics sectors, a key area of focus for ARK.

 

Additionally, ARK added to its holdings in Airbnb Inc (ABNB), the online marketplace for lodging and tourism experiences. ARK bought 49,560 shares of Airbnb for a total value of $6,145,935. These shares were split between the ARKW and ARKF ETFs, indicating alignment with ARK’s strategy of investing in disruptive companies within the internet and fintech realms that are reshaping industries like travel.

 

Smaller Strategic Buys

Beyond the larger transactions, ARK’s daily trades also included smaller purchases reflecting its scouting of companies at various stages of development within its target themes. These included purchasing shares of Natera Inc (NTRA), a genetic testing company, valued at $949,027, Blade Air Mobility Inc (BLDE), a company involved in urban air mobility, valued at $53,446, and Personalis Inc (PSNL), focused on genomic sequencing, valued at $43,185.

 

Although lower in dollar value compared to the major buys and sells, these investments indicate ARK’s continued interest in emerging technologies and specialized areas within genomics and future transportation.

 

Trades Reflect ETF Themes

It’s important to understand that these daily trades represent adjustments across ARK’s suite of actively managed ETFs. For instance, Palantir (PLTR) and Roku (ROKU) are often held in both ARKK and ARKW, so trades in these stocks likely occurred in both funds. Guardant Health (GH), Veracyte (VCYT), Natera (NTRA), and Personalis (PSNL) are typically significant holdings within the ARKG ETF, focused on the genomic revolution.

 

Airbnb (ABNB) is commonly found in ARKW and ARKF due to its online marketplace and payment aspects. Roblox (RBLX) and Reddit (RDDT) align more with the internet and social media themes often present in ARKW or ARKK. These daily transactions are the mechanism by which ARK portfolio managers adjust the weightings of these stocks within the thematic framework of each specific ETF they manage.

 

Why Investors Track ARK’s Moves

Many investors closely follow ARK’s daily trade publications to gain insight into Cathie Wood’s and her team’s current views on various disruptive technology companies.

 

While individual daily trades are small adjustments within much larger portfolios and should not be the sole basis for investment decisions, they can signal shifts in conviction, rebalancing efforts, or identification of new opportunities within ARK’s actively managed strategies. These daily updates offer a degree of transparency into the execution of ARK’s distinct investment philosophy focused on future growth potential.