We recently published a list of Ark Invest Stock Portfolio: Top 10 Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) stands against other top stocks to buy from Ark Invest's portfolio.

ARK Investment Management LLC, commonly known as ARK Invest, is an American investment management firm headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. Founded by Cathie Wood in 2014, the firm specializes in actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on disruptive innovation. As of Q4 2024, ARK holds over $12 billion in 13F securities, with its top ten positions comprising slightly over 50% of its diversified portfolio, which typically comprises between 35 and 55 holdings. The firm’s investment approach spans various market capitalizations, sectors, and geographies, aiming to identify and invest in companies poised to lead in transformative technological advancements.

Cathie Wood, born Catherine Duddy Wood in 1955, is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the investment industry. As the founder, CEO, and chief investment officer of ARK Investment Management, she has carved out a reputation for her innovative and forward-thinking investment strategies. Wood’s approach to investing has consistently focused on identifying and capitalizing on disruptive innovation, setting her apart as a visionary in the financial sector.

After graduating from the Notre Dame Academy Catholic girls’ school, Wood pursued higher education at the University of Southern California (USC), where she earned a summa cum laude degree in finance and economics in 1981. She later completed a Master of Business Administration in finance at USC’s Marshall School of Business. A key influence in her academic journey was economist Arthur Laffer, known for the Laffer Curve, which theorizes the relationship between tax rates and tax revenue. Laffer’s mentorship helped shape Wood’s understanding of economic theory and her investment philosophy.

Wood’s career in finance took off after graduation, with roles at prestigious firms such as Jennison Associates, where she spent 18 years in various leadership roles, and Capital Group, as an assistant economist. At AllianceBernstein, where she managed over $5 billion, she honed her ability to identify long-term growth trends. Despite criticism of her investment decisions during the 2008 financial crisis, Wood remained steadfast in her belief that disruptive innovation would drive the future of economic growth. She later went on to co-found Tupelo Capital Management, a hedge fund focused on global thematic strategies.

In 2014, Cathie Wood founded ARK Invest with the goal of focusing exclusively on disruptive innovation and seizing the investment opportunities it generates. Her pioneering move involved structuring actively managed investment strategies as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), an industry-first approach that allowed a broader range of investors to participate in emerging technologies. She recognized that investing in such transformative technologies requires active management to navigate rapid changes, an open research ecosystem unrestricted by sectors, geographies, or market capitalizations to capture technological convergence, and the sharing of knowledge to deepen understanding of emerging industries. Reflecting these principles, ARK stands for Active Research Knowledge—a philosophy that underpins the firm’s investment approach.

Accordingly, ARK’s investment philosophy is centered around thematic investing in disruptive innovation, leveraging over 40 years of experience in identifying high-growth opportunities. ARK defines disruptive innovation as the introduction of technologically enabled products or services that significantly alter existing industries. The firm’s research process focuses on cross-sector innovations such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, Fintech, robotics, energy storage, DNA sequencing, 3D printing, and blockchain technology. ARK’s goal is to seek long-term capital appreciation by investing in these cutting-edge industries, believing that companies driving technological advancements will fundamentally reshape industries and offer outsized returns compared to traditional investment strategies.

Our Methodology

The stocks discussed below were picked from Ark Invest’s Q4 2024 13F filings. They are compiled in the ascending order of the hedge fund’s stake in them as of December 31, 2024. To assist readers with more context, we have included the hedge fund sentiment regarding each stock using data from 1,009 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

A technician assembling an electric aircraft, highlighting the company's manufacturing capabilities.

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders as of Q4: 34

Ark Invest’s Equity Stake: $291.64 Million 

On February 27, Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. CEO Adam Goldstein highlighted the aerospace company’s progress, emphasizing that with the Launch Edition program now in place and aircraft production underway at ARC, Archer is on track to deliver its first revenue-generating Midnight aircraft later this year. He also pointed to the company’s strong liquidity position, exceeding $1 billion, as a critical asset in advancing both its civil and defense strategies while exploring emerging opportunities in artificial intelligence and other technologies. As the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) industry gains momentum, JPMorgan analysts estimate a potential $1 trillion market by 2040, and Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) is positioning itself as a leading player in this evolving sector.

Investor enthusiasm for Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) continues to grow, with its market capitalization currently valued at approximately $3.35 billion. Over the past year, its stock has surged 60%, significantly outperforming the broader market. The rally has increased over the last six months, with shares soaring by 149%. Despite this optimism, the company’s financials reflect the high costs associated with scaling an eVTOL business. In the fourth quarter of 2024, operating expenses rose 15% year-over-year to $124.2 million, as the company ramped up testing and completed construction of its production facility in Covington, GA. The net loss for the quarter expanded to $198.1 million from $109.1 million a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA loss widened to $94.8 million. Earnings per share (EPS) came in at -$0.39, falling short of estimates by 53%.

While Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) remains unprofitable, its financial position remains strong, with record-high total cash reserves at an impressive $1.1 billion. This substantial financial cushion provides Archer with the resources needed to accelerate its vision for urban air mobility. Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2025, management projects an adjusted EBITDA loss between $95 million and $110 million, as the company continues its aggressive push toward commercialization and industry leadership.

Overall, ACHR ranks 10th on our list of top stocks to buy from Ark Invest's portfolio. While we acknowledge the potential for ACHR as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ACHR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.