In this article, we will look at everything Jim Cramer highlighted about a market yearning for the status quo ante, along with his comments on stocks. The host of Mad Money said Tuesday’s session revealed how the market is thinking, as stocks pushed higher after a period of pressure.
Today, we saw what would happen when you give peace a chance… Looks a lot like exactly what was happening before the war, didn’t it? This market yearns for status quo ante… If you can’t take the pain of this environment, I say take advantage of today’s rally. And you know what? [Sell, sell, sell]. I make this point because one of my basic principles is do not sell stocks into a meltdown… Personally, I would say stay the course.
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Cramer also pointed to interest rates as he said, “When rates go down, people gravitate to what? They gravitate to growth stocks.” He said it happens because money managers think price-to-earnings multiples have been heavily compressed due to the war. He added that if the conflict comes to an end, investors would be willing to pay more for companies that were expected to perform steadily regardless of the situation. However, he added an important caveat, as he said, “Of course, if we end the war without reopening the Strait, there might be not all that much benefit for some of the stock market.”
Here’s the bottom line: Maybe this dialogue with Iran is really nothing more than an exchange of messages. Maybe it’s meaningless. So, consider today a dry run of what will ultimately occur when the war winds down, and they do. And when the doubters and towel throwers come in tomorrow, please notice what the bold were buying. I just hope they come down again so you can get your chance at preferable prices. It’ll be worth it.
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 11 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on March 31. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them.
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 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
11 Stocks in Focus as Jim Cramer Discussed a Market Yearning for the Status Quo
11. Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY)
Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) is among the stocks in focus as Jim Cramer highlighted a market yearning for the status quo ante. Cramer highlighted the company’s Jetro deal, as he stated:
Or how about yesterday, when Sysco… the very reliable food service distributor. They bought Jetro, this terrific wholesale supplier where you can pick up just tons of food and save a lot of money in the process. Everyone who’s starting out in the restaurant business know Jetro. It’s fantastic. You always go there, by the way, if you’re in a jam and I’ve been in a jam many times. Why would you be in a jam? Because it’s an emergency. Don’t have the right kind of food. You gotta go get shrimp, gotta go get steak. Otherwise, you have any larger regular food needs, you use Sysco.
This deal is a one-two punch. If you were running Sysco and you saw that Jetro came up for sale, buying it would be a no-brainer. Everyone in the restaurant game knows that these two are the only real games in town, and to put them together is like white on rice. The Jetro shareholders will receive $21.6 billion in cash, 91.5 million in shares of Sysco for this match made in heaven. And what happened? Market hated it. Sysco’s stock went from $81 to $69 and then back up to $71 today… What’s going on here, really?…
As for Sysco, the Jetro acquisition’s superb. First, I trust Sysco will clean them up. I’m not crazy about the dark and dank portions of the Jetros that I’ve been to. Second, Jetro is a natural feeder to Sysco, as I know from my own endeavors in the restaurant business… Both McCormick and Sysco used to be considered growth companies. Now, they’re value plays in a market where no one wants value… Same goes for Sysco, 3% yield, 15 times earnings.
Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) distributes food products, including meats, produce, and frozen meals, to restaurants, healthcare facilities, and schools. The company also supplies other items, such as kitchen equipment, tableware, and cleaning supplies.
10. McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC)
McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) is among the stocks in focus as Jim Cramer highlighted a market yearning for the status quo ante. Cramer discussed the company’s deal with Unilever during the episode, as he commented:
Sometimes, a group is just so hated that it doesn’t matter what any of its members do. You know the stocks are going lower. Today, McCormick, the flavor company as they call it, made a bold move, merging with Unilever’s food business, including Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Colman’s mustard, Knorr soups, in what’s known as a Reverse Morris Trust transaction. Unilever and its shareholders will own nearly two-thirds of the company going forward, but it’ll keep the McCormick name and its New York Stock Exchange listing. McCormick runs the show going forward. I like that management team.
Deal should be additive to McCormick’s earnings in the first year. Huge cost savings, terrific synergies, and the market hated it, with the stock plunging 6%… What’s going on here, really? First, I have to tell you that these kinds of properties don’t come up often enough, and you’d be nuts not to buy them if you’re another major company that needs scale and heft and touch points with consumers as these companies do. McCormick has a terrific food service business. It can immediately add Hellmann’s and Colman’s mustard. Combined with their spices and seasonings and hot sauce, they’ll be able to entirely dominate some aisles in the supermarket. They need to buy it, even if it were just for the Hellmann’s, just for the best…
Do you really think that McCormick won’t run the Unilever food business better than Unilever did? Unilever’s like P&G, it doesn’t want food. It doesn’t fit. They don’t care. Afterthought for them, even though a good company won’t be an afterthought for Brendan Foley from McCormick. Both McCormick and Sysco used to be considered growth companies. Now, they’re value plays in a market where no one wants value. McCormick trades at 16 times earnings, 3.81% yield. Stock just doesn’t entice.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) produces and sells spices, seasonings, condiments, and flavor products for consumers and food manufacturers.
