Jim Cramer, host of Mad Money, spent Friday laying out what he expects from the companies reporting during the week, and he also commented on the upcoming sales data and economic releases.
“For years and years, everyone presumed we’d have a rally during Thanksgiving week, and they were pretty much right to presume it… But now, on the eve of the holiday week, everything’s changed. The machines have taken over. They take the cue from all sorts of metrics and gauges that we humans would never be able to figure out, and they’re happy to sell at any time. Nothing matters except money to these machines. They don’t even know about the holiday. Maybe that’s how it should be.”
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Cramer said Tuesday will matter far more than usual because investors are trying to make decisions in what he described as a period with very little dependable data, partly due to the “lamentable, ridiculous government shutdown.” He pointed to the delayed September retail-sales report as an important item and said he does not expect strong numbers ahead. He explained that weaker retail data is useful because it increases the likelihood of rate cuts.
Cramer noted that the market jumped after New York Fed President John Williams signaled he was open to lowering rates, which pushed odds of a cut higher. He explained that if retail sales come in soft, bond prices should rise and yields should fall, unless the producer price index, released at the same time, shows a jump that hints at higher inflation. He added that tariffs could push inflation higher, though he said no one can be certain. He also mentioned that pending home-sales data due at 10:00 a.m. might offer more clues, and he expects that report to look “dreadful.”
“Housing is the bane of this economy’s existence because housing turnover drives sales and profits for so many different industries, and there’s just not that much turnover right now. Actually, well, it’s the lowest in 40 years. I think we’ll get what we want, which is weak pending home sales, and that makes it easier for the Fed to cut rates in December. Maybe it’s the excuse they need.”
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 November 21. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the second quarter of 2025, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of over 900 hedge funds.
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 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
11 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Game Plan for the Week
11. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 59
Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer finished his game plan with the stock and stated:
“Finally, on Wednesday, we have John Deere with a stock that seems like it’s made of Teflon. Farming’s a tough and necessary business, so our government has historically been willing to subsidize them through difficult times. No farmer wants a bad harvest, but if it’s bad enough, they’ll get a benefit from the government, and that money often ends up being spent on farm equipment, meaning Deere. Many commodity prices have plummeted in the last few weeks. I want to know the impact… [on] sales. Let’s do this. I believe that you’ll be able to buy shares in Deere after the quarter without missing too much of the upside, but there’s no reason to jump the gun.”
Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) manufactures farming, turf, construction, and forestry equipment, along with the parts and tools that support those machines.
10. Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE:BURL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE:BURL) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer said that the company is the weakest among its other two peers. He commented:
“Plenty of apparel on Tuesday… Burlington Stores reports. It’s part of the big three… off-price, including TJX and Ross Stores. It probably hurts Burlington that the other two reported already, and they were terrific. As my mother always said, comparisons are odious, but Burlington is the weakest of the three.”
Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE:BURL) sells branded, value-focused fashion and home goods. It includes apparel, footwear, accessories, baby items, beauty products, and seasonal merchandise. Cramer discussed the company during the September 10 episode and remarked:
“Second on the list is Burlington Stores, which saw roughly 2.5% comparable sales growth in the first half because… I… have come to expect more than that, but they have flat growth in the first quarter, but 5% growth in the second, well ahead of the 1.5% number that Wall Street was looking for. Burlington also had a strong quarter. Despite softer trends in May, they were able to beat expectations as business got back to normal in June and July. We care about that cadence. Overall, it was a solid quarter… although management struck a more conservative tone with their full-year guidance, not as optimistic as TJX.
Because Burlington’s got more exposure to outerwear than others, their numbers are more sensitive to variations in the weather. We got a warm winter and their sales got hit hard. That’s why they were more concerned about the second half. Although Wall Street mostly chalked up that to management being cautious and the stock still rallied more than 5% in response to the quarter. I thought that was a gift…
Now that we know how all three off-price apparel companies are doing, what about paying for numbers?… Alright, in terms of cheapness, Ross Stores leads the way, trading just 22 times next year’s earnings estimates. That is very cheap, much cheaper than Burlington at 25 and then TJX at roughly 28 times next year’s numbers… Burlington has a PEG ratio of 1.4… Burlington repurchased just $26 million worth of stock last quarter. In the previous quarter, they did buy back over a hundred million dollars.
Management doesn’t guide to a full-year repurchase target, but if you just assume that the second half will match the first, that comes out to be about $250 million for the buybacks, that’s roughly 1.7% of the company’s market capitalization… As for Burlington, it’s really hard to put any of these companies in last place, as they all have a lot going for them in this environment. But Burlington’s latest guidance was fairly tepid, so if anyone comes in last, it’s got to be Burlington.”
9. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 39
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer did not show much enthusiasm around the company’s upcoming report, as he said:
“Plenty of apparel on Tuesday. Abercrombie & Fitch reports in the AM. That’s a total crapshoot. It’s not for the squeamish. Call me squeamish.”
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF) provides apparel, accessories, and personal care items for men, women, and kids. During the April 29 episode, a caller inquired about the stock, and Cramer responded:
“You know what, I’ve got to see what they look like in a tariffed world… because I don’t know exactly how much of their stuff is going to have to go up in price. The stock is reflecting a lot of that, but you’re right, it’s six times earnings. But you and I both know six times earnings means usually that the earnings are too high. But it’s 65 bucks, $3.3 billion company. I think you can pick up a little, but then wait.”
8. Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer showed bullish sentiment toward the company, as he commented:
“You want a stock that is worth buying? I know that cybersecurity has been a dog of late, but when Zscaler reports, I bet records will be broken, and you can break out the champagne. Why not? You’ve been able to do that pretty much every time it reports. It should help that the whole group, which has been falling of late, offers you some actual value for the first time.”
Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZS) provides cloud-based security that protects users, applications, and data through its zero-trust platform and threat-defense tools. Cramer shed light on the company during the June 25 episode, as he stated:
“It’s rare for us to have two stocks in the same relatively small sector, but the companies are doing so well that I kind of wish we even owned the third, Zscaler, which is doing as well, if not better, than the two that we own.”
7. HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 51
HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer does not believe that the company would be “able to make the numbers,” as he remarked:
“I would definitely not trade HP the same way. I think HP is genuinely hostage to commodity prices, and it won’t be able to make the numbers. Even though it went up almost 6% today, the stock’s a little… it might not matter, but you know that’s not really a compelling reason to buy, is it?”
HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ) provides personal computers, printers, 3D printing solutions, hybrid-work tools, and related services. During the September 9 episode, Cramer noted that the company keeps missing quarters. The Mad Money host commented:
“Oh, and then there’s another one, don’t tempt me, it’s HP, the printer and PC company that’s bought back 6% of its shares on average. No thanks. See, it keeps missing the quarter. A buyback can’t cover up these kinds of snafus.”
6. Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54
Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer made a bold call about the company during the episode, as he said:
“I can’t believe how important Tuesday evening is. First, we have Dell Technologies. The betting line here is that the company’s going to stumble because of some raw ingredients, mainly semiconductors. They’ve gone up so much in price during the quarter. I’m not buying it. This is Dell, for heaven’s sake. I’m not worried about Michael Dell and other commodities. I mean, give me a break. He’ll source them right and get them at good prices. I think the story would be about the company still doing terrifically when it comes to the data center and the enterprise. So you need to own the stock ahead of the quarter. That’s a gutsy prediction, probably the most gutsy that you’re going to hear tonight.”
Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) provides storage systems, servers, networking gear, and consulting services, along with laptops, desktops, workstations, and accessories.
5. Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 79
Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer showed mixed feelings about the company’s stock, as he stated:
“Analog Devices reports too, and I’ve been worried about this one because it’s all about the Internet of Things, industrial semiconductors, which have been very, very weak. I believe it’s not worth buying. But if the quarter’s good, get this, I’d like you to buy, well, at least think about buying the stock of Texas Instruments, which is an analog to Analog.”
Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) designs and manufactures integrated circuits, sensors, and software that convert, manage, and process analog and digital signals. Kovitz Investment Group Partners, LLC stated the following regarding Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) in its second quarter 2025 investor letter:
“We reestablished a position in Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) after the stock declined 30% from the point at which we sold it in late February. Analog is a technology leader in the analog semiconductor industry, a specialized market under the larger semiconductor banner. The company is characterized by 70% gross margins and #1 and #2 market positions in key segments within the industry. The company’s principal competitive advantage is its base of 11,000 analog engineers, skilled craftspeople with their education augmented by an average of over 7 years of on-the-job experience. We consider this engineering “asset” irreplaceable. While Analog does have exposure to economically sensitive industries like automotive production, industrial production, and “pro-sumer” electronics, its products are in high demand given that they enable most other cutting-edge technology products and processes that exist. High gross margins provide insulation against tariff effects. Given the better stock price, we think that having exposure to Analog stock over the next 5-7 years will be good for clients.”
4. DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE:DKS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55
DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE:DKS) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer showed optimism while discussing the company during the episode, as he commented:
“We have a slew of important earnings on Tuesday from a host of industries. In the morning, for example, we get results from Kohl’s, Best Buy, and DICK’S Sporting Goods. What am I hearing?… That DICK’S could be insanely good because it bought Foot Locker low and now’s the right Nikes to go with the New Balance, the Hoka, and the ON. That’s the right lineup.”
DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE:DKS) sells sporting goods, fitness equipment, apparel, footwear, and similar accessories. A caller inquired about the stock during the July 28 episode and Cramer replied:
“Oh, okay. Look, here’s… [why] I didn’t try hard enough. When DICK’s bought Foot Locker, I should have just said, buy, buy, buy. Instead, it’s all the way back. It’s kind of like the two that I’ve been most regretting that I didn’t pound the table, Dell enough, and I didn’t pound the table DICK’s enough. DICK’s is still good. They obviously knew what they were doing when they bought Foot Locker. Great relationship by the way now with Nike.”
3. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer discussed the effect of tariffs on the company, as he remarked:
“We have a slew of important earnings on Tuesday from a host of industries. In the morning, for example, we get results from Kohl’s, Best Buy, and DICK’S Sporting Goods. What am I hearing?… Best Buy will be okay. Probably hurt by higher interest rates and tariffs, although that should be offset by a PC refresh cycle.”
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) sells technology products, electronics, appliances, and entertainment items, along with related services like delivery, installation, and technical support. Cramer mentioned the company during the September 30 episode and said:
“Now, I wrote How to Make Money in Any Market over a period of two years. In the chapter on dividend stocks, I initially included Stanley Black & Decker and Best Buy as interesting prospects. Now, I think both of these are well-run companies, and they yield 4.5 and 5%, respectively. I took them out, though in the next pass, because unlike the food stocks, which really don’t even need a strong economy to make big money, Best Buy and Stanley Black & Decker actually need strong consumer growth and tariff relief.
That’s just too much of a lift for me. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these stocks I just mentioned ends up making me look bad and becomes a good stock. I know this because you see, we bought both Stanley and Best Buy for my Charitable Trust, and we were shocked to see them shoot higher immediately on word of rate cuts. We sold a big chunk of those positions up higher, but then subsequently got rid of the rest at just okay prices because we were worried. In retrospect, we got lucky, I think, on the higher prices because I believe that those rallies were simply short squeezes. We definitely aren’t going back into either of those two anytime soon.”
2. Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer mentioned the company during the episode and commented:
“We have a slew of important earnings on Tuesday from a host of industries. In the morning, for example, we get results from Kohl’s, Best Buy, and DICK’S Sporting Goods. What am I hearing? That Kohl’s won’t be terrible. That’s probably good, though.”
Kohl’s Corporation (NYSE:KSS) sells apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home products. Some of its brands include Apt. 9, Jumping Beans, Tek Gear, and Simply Vera Vera Wang. During the July 23 episode, Cramer said that the company’s stock was “not a safe short,” as he remarked:
“I’m talking about stocks like Kohl’s, okay? 50% short interest that at one point doubled because of social media instigation, just to bash the hapless shorts who are truly pressing their bets here. Even with Kohl’s, there’s some merit. Kohl’s used to trade in the 50s three years ago, and it received three takeover bids right in that level. The short busting started, it was at 10 bucks, having traded as low as six bucks. That’s too cheap.
Downright embarrassing to know that so many hedge funds have been caught with their pants down again in a situation where there’s too much short interest and not enough stock floating around to cover if something good happens, and something good could happen. Kohl’s has no debt maturities for four years of any size, and has new leadership. It has a fabulous deal with Sephora. What happens if one of those acquirers comes back? Not a safe short.”
1. Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 48
Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer’s game plan for the week. Cramer said that he expects a “decent quarter” from the company. The Mad Money host commented:
“So it all starts with a pretty quiet Monday, at least it should be. We’re going to hear from Zoom Communications. Yeah, Zoom. And all I can say about it is while I love it with my, I don’t know, my PC comes loaded with this Teams thing, you probably have it too, it’s the bane of Zoom’s existence. I was always hoping that Zoom would become more than just Zoom, like it would buy some company to complement its video conferencing business, but it hasn’t happened yet. Perhaps we’ll see something next week that will change that. Otherwise, though, I expect a decent quarter, and then the adjacent talk about some company potentially buying Zoom.”
Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) provides an AI-driven platform for video meetings, messaging, phone systems, and collaborative work tools. The company’s services also include virtual events, workflow automation, and contact centers.
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