Wood's Bold Moves: Three Stocks Gaining Momentum in Early 2026

A Glimpse Into Ark’s Latest Portfolio Shuffle

Cathie Wood, the powerhouse behind Ark Invest, made headlines again this week by expanding positions in three very different sectors. On Thursday alone, her team picked up additional shares in Broadcom, Deere, and Archer Aviation—a trio that tells an interesting story about where growth-focused investors see opportunity in 2026.

Last year proved Wood’s long-term thesis right once more. Ark’s flagship fund delivered a 35% return, putting most of the market to shame. Now, as we kick off a new year, she’s doubling down on conviction buys across semiconductors, agriculture, and emerging mobility. Let’s break down what’s behind each move.

The Dark Horse: Archer Aviation’s Dramatic Descent Could Signal Buying Opportunity

Before we get to the more obvious plays, there’s something interesting happening with Archer Aviation. The electric vertical takeoff aircraft maker has crashed 40% from its October peak—a bloodbath that’s turned many investors away. Yet this is precisely the kind of moment that draws Wood’s attention.

Archer isn’t just another speculative play. The company has secured contracts with the U.S. military and major airlines, and it’s locked in as the official air taxi partner for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That’s real validation in a nascent market. The eVTOL space remains niche today—mostly high-net-worth executives and critical medical transport—but the long-term potential is extraordinary.

The numbers are ambitious but grounded. Analysts project Archer will approach $1 billion in revenue by 2028, with adjusted profitability following a year later. For a pre-revenue company, that’s a bold but credible trajectory. Wood’s willingness to step in during the selloff suggests she believes the market is overreacting to short-term headwinds.

The Semiconductor Crown Jewel: Broadcom’s Unstoppable Ascent

Broadcom tells a completely different story. The semiconductor and infrastructure solutions provider has been a seven-bagger over five years—and the momentum is far from exhausted.

Consider this: more than 99% of global internet traffic flows through Broadcom’s technology. During the AI explosion, that’s an enviable moat. The stock has already priced in much of this excitement at 33 times forward earnings, but here’s the crucial point—Broadcom is growing faster than that valuation suggests it should.

Revenue growth was pedestrian for years, hovering in single digits through 2023. Then 2024 hit differently. A 44% revenue surge was followed by 24% growth in the fiscal year ending November. Now Wall Street expects a 51% jump to $96 billion in the coming fiscal year, with earnings projected to leap 49% to $10.14 per share.

What separates Broadcom from the typical AI hype story is consistency. This company has logged 16 consecutive years of revenue growth and raised its dividend for 15 straight years. That’s the kind of predictability premium investors pay for, especially when the growth acceleration is real.

The Contrarian Play: Deere’s Agricultural Resilience Amid Near-Term Weakness

Wood’s willingness to add to Deere during a rough patch reveals a key aspect of her investing philosophy: she’s not afraid to buy quality when the narrative turns negative.

Deere just warned that sales to large commercial farm operators will drop 20% in the year ahead. Wall Street’s expectations have crumbled accordingly—analysts now model just 2% revenue growth with declining net income. On the surface, it’s a disappointing picture.

But infrastructure and agricultural modernization are long-cycle themes. The U.S. government continues pushing food production self-sufficiency initiatives, and global infrastructure investment remains robust. Deere is undisputed leader in heavy machinery, and it will be the beneficiary when this sector inevitably turns. Wood isn’t betting on an immediate rebound; she’s betting Deere will dominate when sentiment shifts.

The Broader Play

What connects these three investments isn’t obvious at first glance. Broadcom rides the AI wave with fortress economics. Deere plays long-term infrastructure and agricultural transformation. Archer represents a completely new transportation category still in its infancy.

Together, they sketch out Wood’s vision for the next decade: technological infrastructure must expand exponentially, traditional industries face secular transformation, and entirely new markets will emerge from seemingly impossible ideas. Some will pan out faster than others. But for a manager who’s betting on innovation-driven wealth creation, this trio makes sense.

The question for other investors: do you have the conviction—and patience—to ride alongside?