Last year was huge for ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood. Her penchant for disruptive growth stocks helped her ARK Invest family of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) soar in 2020. Wood's universe of growth stocks corrected sharply earlier this year but her funds are making a comeback these days.
Wood did a lot of shopping on Tuesday, buying into some stocks that are trading well below their previous highs. She added to her existing positions in Roblox (RBLX 1.54%), Coinbase Global (COIN 0.23%), and Teladoc Health (TDOC -3.21%), three promising stocks fetching 27% to 51% less than they were just a couple of months ago. Let's take a closer look at why these are names that Wood likes here.
Image source: Getty Images.
Roblox
Roblox operates a fast-growing virtual destination where its mostly young members play games, earn rewards, and explore user-created 3D realms. It went public in March. Growth is explosive -- and accelerating. Roblox has seen its revenue go from growing 56% in 2019 to 82% in 2020. Revenue exploded 140% higher in the first quarter of this year.
There were 43 million users by the end of March, up 37% over the past year. A lack of profitability is a concern, but Roblox continues to improve its ability to monetize its platform. Wood was trimming her Roblox position in early June, but she's been buying back the stock in recent weeks.
Coinbase
Another recent IPO that Wood has been buying aggressively is Coinbase. The leading cryptocurrency marketplace may have timed its debut poorly. It went public in April, just as the leading cryptocurrencies were peaking. It's been a rough run for crypto, but digital currencies are moving higher for the second week in a row.
Coinbase has proven magnetic for crypto traders. Revenue rose 845% in the first quarter of this year, and -- no -- that's not a typo. Wood buying shares of Coinbase is becoming old hat for ARK Invest. Tuesday's purchase makes it 66 times that the stock has been added to its funds. It's now the sixth largest holding across all of Wood's funds.
Teladoc
There are only five stocks that Wood's funds own more of than Coinbase, and one of them is Teladoc. The telehealth specialist is the second-largest holding at ARK Invest, and Tuesday's purchase may seem to be a case of bad timing.
Teladoc stock tumbled initially after posting disappointing financial results following Tuesday's market close. Teladoc continues to be a popular choice for folks seeking remote medical attention, and its Livongo Health acquisition offers some intriguing opportunities for synergy between the two high-tech platforms.
The second quarter itself was decent. Revenue more than doubled, slightly ahead of expectations. Teladoc's widening deficit is problematic, but this isn't a bottom-line growth story at this stage. Guidance was uninspiring, particularly with its forecast that it will lose at least $3.60 a share this year. However, it is encouraging to see that folks haven't gone back to waiting rooms now even as businesses are opening back up. Teladoc's value and convenience propositions resonate with folks seeking medical assistance. The stock had already shed more than half of its value before Wednesday's market reaction to the fresh financials, but you have to like Teladoc's chances for a full recovery.
