Cathie Wood's Ark Invest orchestrated some head-turning moves on Tuesday, executing a near-simultaneous exit from Meta Platforms Inc. (META) and entry into Roblox Corp (RBLX) that's worth unpacking. The firm also picked up shares of Kodiak AI Inc. (KDK), adding another piece to its autonomous technology puzzle.
Why Meta Got the Boot
Ark dumped 19,316 shares of Meta across three of its ETFs: the ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF), ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW). At Tuesday's closing price of $660.62, that comes to roughly $12.7 million walking out the door.
The timing is interesting. Mark Zuckerberg's company is dealing with what you might call a "good problem" with its Ray-Ban smart glasses—demand in the U.S. has been so strong that the international launch got pushed back. Meta's been working on integrating advanced features like the Neural Band and gesture-based controls into these smart glasses, but now the company has to prioritize keeping up with domestic customers before expanding globally.
It's the kind of supply constraint that sounds positive on earnings calls but apparently didn't convince Wood to stick around.
The Roblox Bet Gets Bigger
Here's where things get curious. On the same day Ark was selling Meta, it was loading up on Roblox, purchasing 169,130 shares across the same three ETFs (ARKF, ARKK, and ARKW). The buy totaled approximately $12.8 million based on Roblox's closing price of $75.83.
Roblox has been positioned by some analysts as a gaming platform with serious potential to dominate the entertainment space. Last month, Drew Crum from B. Riley Securities voiced optimism about the company's trajectory, pointing to strong user engagement and innovative content as key drivers.
But not everyone's singing the same tune. Also on Tuesday, TD Cowen analyst Doug Creutz downgraded his price target for Roblox from $77 to $70, citing a slowdown in December engagement numbers. So Wood's doubling down right as some analysts are pumping the brakes—a classic contrarian move, or just a different read on the long-term picture.
Betting on Autonomous Trucking
Ark also picked up 39,296 shares of Kodiak AI through the ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ). At a closing price of $9.70, the purchase totaled approximately $381,171.
Kodiak AI, which operates in the driverless truck industry and has backing from George Soros, represents another chapter in Wood's broader bet on autonomous technology. This wasn't her first rodeo with the company either—she purchased $554,340 worth of Kodiak stock just the day before on Monday.
Other Notable Moves
Beyond the headline trades, Ark trimmed positions in a couple of healthcare names. The firm sold 17,613 shares of Guardant Health Inc. through ARKG and offloaded 7,228 shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. through the same ETF.
Where Meta Stands
According to stock ranking data, Meta Platforms currently sits at the 40th percentile for value among the Magnificent 7 tech stocks. That middle-of-the-pack positioning suggests the stock isn't screaming "bargain" relative to its mega-cap peers, which might help explain why Wood felt comfortable taking profits here while redirecting capital elsewhere.
The broader narrative here seems to be about where Wood sees the next wave of growth. Meta's smart glasses delay, however temporary, signals execution challenges in a new product category. Meanwhile, despite near-term engagement concerns at Roblox, the company's platform approach to gaming and entertainment apparently looks more compelling for Ark's investment thesis. And the continued accumulation of Kodiak AI shares underscores an ongoing conviction in autonomous vehicle technology, even as that sector continues to face its own timeline uncertainties.