10 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold For 5 Years According to Cathie Wood

3. CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP)

Ark Investment’s Q4 2020 Investment Stake: $1.5 billion

Number of Q1 2024 Hedge Fund Investors: 27

Share Price Performance Since 2020 End: -64.72%

CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) is one of the more revolutionary medical companies since it is one of the few and one of the earliest players in the genetic sequencing industry. Estimates suggest that the market for CRISPR gene editing technologies can grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 22.3% between 2022 and 2027 to be worth an estimated $9.2 billion at the end of the forecast period. CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP)’s revenue was $370 million in 2023, leaving it with quite a bit of room to grow. Key to CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP)’s success though is the broader biotechnology industry’s ability to commercialize treatments with its technology. These led to royalty payments, and one such payment came in Q1 from pharma giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Vertex’s Casgevy is one of the few sickle cell disease treatments in the world, and its maker paid CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) $170 million in 2023 as a milestone payment. CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) is eligible for another $130 million, and will also receive royalties from future treatments developed with its technology.

CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) is a true Cathie Wood long term stock. Her firm first bought the shares in 2017 according to Insider Monkey’s data. Since then, it has grown the $206,000 stake to $555 million as of the latest quarter. Oppenheimer kept an Outperform rating on CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP)’s shares in May 2024 but cut the share price target to $95 from an earlier $102. The firm cited growing expenses as the basis for the reduction, but it was appreciative of the milestone payments.