Cathie Wood Increases SpaceX Investment After Stock Hits New Low

Cathie Wood Increases SpaceX Investment After Stock Hits New Low

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest purchased $18.3 million in SpaceX shares following a decline of 5.43% that caused the stock to reach a new post-IPO low. This transaction, detailed in the firm’s trading report published on July 17, 2026, indicates a continued interest in SpaceX despite its recent stock performance.

Details of the Purchase

The investment came from four of ARK’s actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which collectively acquired 147,623 shares at a closing price of $123.99 on July 17. At one point during the trading session, the stock dipped as low as $122.12. The ARK Innovation ETF was the largest buyer, adding 95,129 shares worth approximately $11.8 million.

Additional purchases included ARK’s Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF, which acquired 30,464 shares valued at about $3.78 million, and the Space Exploration & Innovation ETF, which added 12,611 shares worth around $1.56 million. The ARK Next Generation Internet ETF finished the acquisition with 9,419 shares, valued at roughly $1.17 million.

Context Behind the Stock’s Decline

The drop in SpaceX’s stock price coincided with the announcement of a delay of the Starship Flight 13, which was scheduled to launch soon. Issues were reported with two Raptor engines failing during pre-flight testing, prompting SpaceX to halt the mission shortly before liftoff. The company has since rescheduled this flight to July 20 at 6:45 p.m. ET.

Market analysts have offered varying perspectives on SpaceX’s stock performance. Cognitive scientist Gary Marcus suggested that concerns about Elon Musk’s ability to manage pressing challenges may lead to even lower stock values. In contrast, Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt argued that the public appeared to have overreacted to the recent delay, stating that it did not represent a substantial setback for SpaceX.

Strategic Moves by ARK Invest

This latest purchase marks an ongoing investment trend by ARK Invest in SpaceX, which has continued since the company’s IPO in June. Reports indicate that the firm invested around $52.1 million in SpaceX shares in the week leading up to July 10, boosting their total investment to over $475 million since the IPO.

In parallel with enhancing its position in SpaceX, ARK Invest scaled back its stakes in Robinhood Markets, selling 20,089 shares from ARKW and another 5,913 shares from ARKK during the same session.