Introduction: How to Visualize Institutional Data (Analyzing Cathie Wood’s 13F)

Turning Raw Data into Visual Insights

Government filings (like the SEC's 13F report) are notoriously difficult to read. They are often dense text files or unformatted tables. For designers, developers, and investors alike, the challenge is transforming this raw data into actionable intelligence.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to navigate 13Radar, a web tool designed to parse these filings. We will use the portfolio of Cathie Wood (CEO of ARK Invest) as our case study to demonstrate how to read data tables, interpret "New Buy" indicators, and analyze sector visualization charts.

What you will learn:

  1. How to navigate financial data dashboards.
  2. How to filter and sort complex portfolio tables.
  3. How to use data visualizations to spot investment trends.

Supplies

A Web Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

The Web Tool: 13Radar.com - Cathie Wood Portfolio Dashboard.

Step 1: Navigating to the Portfolio Interface

The first step in any data analysis workflow is accessing the correct dataset.

  1. Launch your web browser.
  2. Go to the dedicated dashboard for Cathie Wood here: https://www.13radar.com/guru/catherine-wood?tab=portfolio.
  3. UI Tip: Notice the tab navigation at the top. Ensure you have the "Portfolio" tab selected to view the current holdings derived from the latest 13F filing.

Step 2: Reading the "Top Holdings" Data Grid

The core of the interface is the Data Grid. Instead of a messy list, the tool organizes holdings by weight (%).

How to analyze this view:

  1. Sort by Weight: Look at the top rows. These represent the investor's highest conviction. In UI terms, this hierarchy tells you what matters most to the user (in this case, Cathie Wood).
  2. Scan the Columns: Identify the "Value" column versus the "Share Count".
  3. Insight: If the top 5 positions account for a large percentage of the total value, you are looking at a "Concentrated Portfolio"—a key design feature of ARK Invest's strategy.

Step 3: Interpreting "Action" Badges & Indicators

Good data design highlights changes over time. 13Radar uses visual badges to show what Cathie Wood is doing differently compared to the previous quarter.

Look for these UI indicators in the list:

  1. "New Buy" Badge: This indicates a brand new entry. The tool highlights this to draw attention to fresh data points.
  2. "Sold Out" Badge: These are positions that have been removed.
  3. Green/Red Percentages: Scan the "Change" column. Green indicates position growth (buying), while red indicates reduction (selling).

Tip: Use your browser's "Find" function (Ctrl+F) to quickly locate specific tickers if the list is long.

Step 4: Visualizing Sector Distribution

Raw numbers can be misleading. To understand the "Big Picture," we need to look at the aggregated data visualizations.

  1. Scroll down to the Sector Breakdown section.
  2. Analyze the Chart: This visualization groups individual stocks into categories like "Technology," "Healthcare," or "Communication Services."
  3. Why this matters: A pie chart or bar graph instantly communicates exposure. If you see a dominant slice for "Healthcare," you know the strategy is heavily bet on genomics or biotech, without needing to read every single stock row.

Step 5: Utilizing Deep-Links for Due Diligence

A good web tool acts as a portal. The top-level data is just the start.

  1. Interactive Elements: Click on any Stock Ticker Symbol (e.g., TSLA, ROKU) within the table.
  2. The Drill-Down: This will take you to a granular view of that specific asset, often showing price history or other institutional holders.
  3. Workflow: Always verify the high-level data by clicking through to the specific details before making any real-world decisions based on the data.

By using a dedicated interface like 13Radar, you can bypass the friction of raw government databases. Whether you are a UI enthusiast looking at how complex data is structured, or an investor tracking the "Queen of Innovation," these tools make the Catherine Wood 13F Report accessible and readable.