We recently published a list of Top 10 Stocks in Ken Griffin’s Portfolio to Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) stands against other top stocks in Ken Griffin’s portfolio to buy according to analysts.
Ken Griffin is one billionaire investor wary of the negative impact of US President Donald Trump’s combative approach to trade policy. Aggressive trade tariffs in the push to try and settle trade imbalances between the US and other nations have sent shockwaves in the equity markets. Likewise, Griffin believes the damage has already been done, given that the broader equity market has already pulled back significantly since Trump assumed office on January 20, 2025.
“From my vantage point, the bombastic rhetoric, the damage has already been done,” Griffin said Tuesday at the UBS Financial Services Conference in Key Biscayne, Florida. “It’s a huge mistake to resort to this form of rhetoric when you’re trying to drive a bargain because … it tears into the minds of CEOs, policymakers that we can’t depend upon America, as our trading partner.”
The billionaire hedge fund manager’s remarks followed Trump’s signing of an order imposing 25% import duties on steel and aluminum. According to Ken Griffin, Trump’s trade policies have the potential to affect long-term investments for multinational companies. Companies are increasingly slowing down their investments, especially abroad, worried about the long-term impact of trade tariffs.
READ ALSO: Top 10 Growth Stocks in David Tepper’s Portfolio and Billionaire Ken Fisher’s Top 13 Growth Stock Picks.
“It makes it difficult for multinationals, in particular, to think about how to plan for the next five, 10, 15, 20 years, particularly when it comes to long lead time capital investments that could be adversely impacted by a degradation of the current terms of engagement as amongst the leading Western countries when it comes to terms and trade,” he said.
The remarks come on the Fed opting to go slow on interest rate cuts for the second straight meeting after conducting three consecutive rate reductions beginning September 2024. The central bank opted to maintain the benchmark rate at 4.5%, wary of inflation ticking higher amid the ongoing trade war between the US and other countries.
According to the US central bank, GDP growth will slow in 2025, and core inflation will be higher. This partially reflects the anticipated effects of the retaliatory actions and newly imposed U.S. tariffs. The US central bank is going slow on interest rate cuts, and the warning of a potential economic growth slowdown has rattled the equity markets.
After years of blockbuster gains, the S&P 500 has pulled back significantly from record highs. Investors remain wary of the uncertainties triggered by the ongoing trade war and its potential impact, especially on economic growth. It remains to be seen if Citadel Investment Group will continue to average the 19% gain it has accrued annually over the years amid the choppy markets.
Amid the concerns, billionaire investor Ken Griffin remains bullish on some equity plays he believes are well-positioned to benefit amid the current investment environment. While Griffin’s investment portfolio in Citadel Investment Group boasts significant exposure to tech stocks, its $577.87 billion portfolio value also boasts significant stakes in the services healthcare and basic materials sector. The diversification play is one of Griffin ’s investment strategies focusing on identifying and investing in equities expected to provide strong performance relative to the benchmark index. As co-chief investment officer and executive chairman, Griffin plays an active role in the hedge fund’s investment strategy.
Our Methodology
We combed Citadel Investment Group’s SEC Q4 2024 13F filings to identify the top 10 stocks in Ken Griffin’s portfolio to buy, according to analysts. From the resultant data, we settled on the top 10 picks trading at significant discounts but with significant upside potential (more than 40%), according to Wall Street Analysts (as of April 11). Finally, we ranked the stocks in ascending order based on their upside potential while also detailing hedge fund sentiments regarding the stocks.
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 woman at a betting table paying out customers who won their sports bets.
DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 65
Stock Upside Potential as of April 11: 70.52%
Citadel Investment Group’s Equity Stakes: $334,578,325
DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company that provides online sports betting, daily fantasy sports, media, and digital lottery courier services. It also offers iGaming, or online casino products, which include blackjack, roulette, baccarat and slot machines. Given its significant exposure to the multibillion-dollar online gambling sectors, it stands out as one of the top stocks in Ken Griffin’s portfolio.
DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) serves over 9.3 million customers, up from 2 million just five years ago, affirming its robust growth in the multibillion-dollar gaming sector. Its sportsbook is accessible in 25 states, including Ontario and Canada, and it plans to expand into other US states as part of an expansion drive.
DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) is poised to strengthen its growth prospects by launching a sportsbook in Missouri following a legalization drive. DraftKings has done well at making money off of its present clientele, regardless of when more states legalize sports betting. Its revenue for the twelve months ending Dec 31, 2024, increased from $3.67 billion in 2023 to $4.77 billion in 2024. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization (EBITDA) and free cash flow were positive for DraftKings for the first time in 2024.
Compared to the $151 million it lost in 2023, its $181 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2024 signals the company has turned the corner in terms of profitability. In 2025, DraftKings Inc. (NASDAQ:DKNG) anticipates its adjusted EBITDA will reach a significant milestone of $900 million to $1 billion.
Overall, DKNG ranks 3rd on our list of top stocks in Ken Griffin’s portfolio to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of DKNG as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than DKNG 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.
