In 2020 the ARK Innovation ETF returned 153% and made Cathie Wood one of the most celebrated technology investors in the world. She remains a regular media commentator on which technology companies to own.
The Cathie Wood track record since then is discussed far less often. Over the five years to June 2026, ARKK lost 38% while the Nasdaq-100 returned 114%. A $100 investment with Wood became $62. The same $100 in the index became $213. With thousands of managers making different bets, somebody will always have an extraordinary year. The harder question is how much of that outcome was skill, how much was risk, and how much was luck.