TLDR
- Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest purchased approximately 123,000 SpaceX shares totaling nearly $17M on July 15
- The stock had declined in seven of the previous nine trading sessions, hovering near its $135 IPO level
- An anticipated share unlock event involving 20% of total shares could increase downward pressure post-Q2 results
- SpaceX plans its 13th Starship test flight Thursday evening with plans to deploy 20 Starlink V3 satellites
- Simultaneously, ARK divested from Deere & Co and reduced holdings in Twist Bioscience and 10X Genomics
Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest acquired approximately 123,000 shares of SpaceX valued at roughly $17 million during trading on July 15, 2026. The acquisition was distributed among four exchange-traded funds: ARKK, ARKQ, ARKW, and ARKX.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., SPCX
The investment decision came during a period of downward pressure on SpaceX’s stock price. The shares had experienced declines in seven out of nine consecutive trading sessions leading up to Thursday, settling merely 27 cents above the company’s $135 initial public offering price. During premarket activity, the stock briefly touched $134.94, falling below that critical threshold.
Within ARK’s flagship Innovation ETF, SpaceX represents the sixth-largest position, accounting for approximately 4.4% of total assets. Tesla maintains its position as the fund’s largest holding.
Factors Behind SpaceX’s Recent Stock Weakness
The stock has faced headwinds from two primary sources. The first involves valuation concerns: SpaceX currently trades at roughly 45 times projected 2026 revenue, a multiple that certain market participants view as elevated.
The second concern centers on an impending share unlock. Approximately 20% of outstanding shares currently held by early-stage investors will become eligible for trading following the company’s second-quarter financial results, expected within weeks. This looming supply increase has prompted caution among some market participants.
Neverthstanding these headwinds, ARK elected to increase rather than decrease its exposure. The investment firm has consistently accumulated SpaceX shares during recent trading periods.
Starship Test 13 Set for Thursday Evening
The chronology of ARK’s stock purchase coincides with a significant milestone for SpaceX. The aerospace company has scheduled the 13th test flight of its Starship vehicle for Thursday evening, with liftoff targeted for approximately 6:45 p.m. Eastern time.
This mission will attempt to release 20 Starlink V3 satellites utilizing Starship’s second stage. Additionally, the upper stage will endeavor to restart a single Raptor engine while in orbit before executing atmospheric reentry and conducting a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Starship’s design specifications call for orbital payload capacity of up to 150,000 kilograms at substantially reduced costs compared to existing launch systems. By comparison, the reusable Falcon 9 vehicle delivers approximately 25,000 kilograms at costs around $1,500 per kilogram. A fully reusable Starship configuration targets cost reductions approaching 90%.
While Starship has not yet achieved operational status, a successful test mission could provide positive momentum for investor sentiment surrounding the stock.
Regarding portfolio adjustments, ARK disposed of 6,833 shares of Deere & Co valued at approximately $4 million, extending a trend of decreasing exposure to the agricultural equipment manufacturer. ARK additionally sold positions in Twist Bioscience and 10X Genomics, while initiating purchases in Beam Therapeutics and Kratos Defense.
SpaceX shares declined approximately 0.2% during Thursday’s premarket trading session.
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