On Wednesday’s episode of Mad Money, host Jim Cramer discussed what it takes to move a stock from just a hunch to a firm holding.
“You’re going to buy a stock, you need an edge. You can trust your eyes and ears most certainly, but before you pull the trigger, you need to be sure that the company itself is on solid ground. It’s a big deal in my new book, How to Make Money in Any Market.”
READ ALSO: 14 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Radar and Jim Cramer Put These 13 Stocks Under the Spotlight.
Cramer explained that keen observation can lead to early insights, which might help catch something others may have missed. He encouraged viewers to follow up on these instincts with curiosity and research. According to him, it starts with anecdotal evidence based on what investors see in their everyday lives. He said that from there, one should look for hard data that supports their initial impression to ensure it is not just a one-off perception. He added that once investors have matched personal insight with real numbers, the next step is to dig into the company’s fundamentals and perform thorough research.
“If everything holds up, then you’ve got a stock that you can happily buy and then buy more of if it comes down, so important in a tough market. If you have the right information and you’re a believer, your odds of a successful investment are just much higher. Anything that increases those odds, that’s what Mad Money is all about.”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 7 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episodes of Mad Money aired on August 6. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the first quarter of 2025, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of 1,000 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 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
7 Stocks Highlighted by Jim Cramer in the Lightning Round
7. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 106
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. A caller asked Cramer about the stock, and he replied:
“I can’t believe that ISRG is getting hit like this. I like that company so much. I’m not going to, I don’t want to go out on a limb and say buy it. I would say you can buy small. It just doesn’t act well enough. But boy, it’s a good company.”
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) develops and markets robotic platforms like the da Vinci Surgical System for minimally invasive procedures. Responding to a caller’s inquiry about the company stock during a July episode, Cramer remarked:
“You and I are in the exact same place. They were talking about the second quarter placement not being that good. I didn’t see it that way… I think they’ve got a lot in the pipe. I’m inclined to recommend the stock. I don’t see what the bears were squawking about.”
6. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 97
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. Noting that the stock is down, a caller inquired about AMD. Here’s what Cramer had to say in response:
“I think this is the pause that refreshes. I like the pullback. I’m surprised we’re even getting it. I think that Lisa Su has got something big going on with this MI400, that’s a competitor to NVIDIA. There’s room for them even if they do billions and billions of dollars in that category. They’ll get their fair share. I want you to buy some.”
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) designs and supplies a wide range of semiconductors, including AI accelerators, x86 processors, GPUs, FPGAs, and adaptive SoCs. The company’s products are used in applications across data centers, consumer devices, embedded systems, and hyperscale computing. When a caller asked Cramer about the stock and if the CEO can make it a trillion-dollar market cap company, he replied:
“I don’t know, but it’s going in the right direction. I mean, they obviously have now good GPUs. There’s a GPU shortage everywhere. Stock’s had a real big run off the bottom. I do think it could have a pullback, but I do think that she’s got what it takes to be able to take that stock much higher.”
5. Riot Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 35
Riot Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. During the lightning round, a caller inquired about the stock, and Cramer stated:
“No, see, that’s, again, I mean that’s just too dicey for me. I know in the end, I don’t look like, I may look like a radical, but I’m not when it comes to money, except for when it comes to orientation and not just doing S&P funds, but also doing individual stocks.”
Riot Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIOT) is a Bitcoin mining company that also provides infrastructure, power distribution equipment, and custom electrical solutions for large-scale applications. When a caller inquired about the stock in a July episode, Cramer responded:
“You know, I have been a believer. I actually had… a very big debate this weekend about whether you should just own Bitcoin, or you should own Riot Platforms, or own Strategy. And I still come back to say own Bitcoin. I don’t need leverage. I don’t need trickiness. It’s like I prefer gold to the gold miners. It really is the same thing. Own Bitcoin.”
4. NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. When a caller expressed that they have been contemplating whether to buy more of the stock, Cramer remarked:
“You know, I don’t think that that is a really terrific situation. I happen to think that there are better buys, and I think that market is flooded right now. Let’s stay away from that one.”
NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) develops and sells smart electric SUVs and sedans, along with a full ecosystem of charging, battery-swapping, insurance, financing, and after-sales services. During an October 2024 episode, when a caller inquired about the company stock, Cramer replied, “I want you to hold on.” Since the comment was made, the stock has declined nearly 33.5%.
On August 1, NIO Inc.’s (NYSE:NIO) stock was upgraded to Outperform from Neutral with a $5.50 price target by Macquarie, as the firm stated that it sees the company’s newly launched L90 as the company’s most competitive model to date. According to Macquarie, the L90 offers stronger value than Li Auto’s recent i8 and is a six-seat large SUV positioned near the price of Tesla’s five-seat Model Y. The firm projects monthly sales of 8,000 to 12,000 units for the L90.
3. QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:QS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26
QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:QS) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. A caller asked Cramer’s opinion on the stock during the lightning round, and in response, he said:
“I’m not a fan of QuantumScape. I don’t think they have the horses. I don’t like companies that continue to lose money. It’s just not my style.”
QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE:QS) develops solid-state lithium-metal batteries designed to boost performance and safety for electric vehicles and related applications. During a July episode, Cramer said that the company’s battery has “captured the fantasy of retail investors,” as he commented:
“Now you’ve got, oh hey, you’ve also got… the stocks that make better electric vehicles like the back-from-the-dead QuantumScape, which makes a new kind of battery that’s captured the fantasy of retail investors. Although that wasn’t enough to prevent the stock from plummeting over 14% today.
Although even with that decline, the stock’s almost tripled over the past month, as have many of these stocks. These same people will buy anything quantum… Why these? Well, maybe the better question is, well, why not? If you’re an individual investor, you don’t have much information about how stocks work longer term. It’s pretty easy to play this game, and it is a game.
We know there are parlays in gambling where you have to pick two or more events, and all have to be correct for you to win. The payouts can be big if your parlay hits, but if any bet loses, you lose the whole thing. These are pretty similar, except you tend to win all three. In many ways, gambling on PARC is a much fairer, better game, but it is a game nonetheless.”
2. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. A caller asked for Cramer’s thoughts on the company, and he replied:
“Okay, I believe in nuclear, I believe in nuclear power. I believe in their strategy. I do think that the company at $12 billion is not a bad buy. It has been up a huge amount, 290%. Let’s be a little careful, but I think it’s a good company, good stock.”
Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) designs advanced fission power plants and develops nuclear fuel recycling technology that transforms waste into usable reactor fuel. The company plans to deliver clean and cost-effective energy at scale. Cramer discussed the company during the July 23 episode and said:
“Until this market, I found it very hard to recommend anything… because historically, parabolic moves tend to explode in your face. But you know what? I violated my rule for this market simply because the moves are too big and the opportunities too frequent to pass on all of them. I don’t want you to miss making some big money because of a view that might no longer be relevant. Let’s take some stocks.
Take Oklo, okay. You might have seen them on TV today. Here’s a company that I’m asked about every couple of weeks, one that’s working on new nuclear technology. I felt that the stock’s parabolic run from $21 to $31 was just too steep for me, even as I’m a huge believer in nuclear. Finally, I switched my view and told people to buy it regardless of the parabola because it has just so much going for it. Today, Oklo announced an integrated power solution for data centers, might be worth billions to shareholders. It’s a turnkey solution no one else has. The stock has now doubled since I waived my parabola ban, doubled.”
1. Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 140
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) is one of the stocks highlighted by Jim Cramer in the lightning round. A caller noted that the stock never rebounded after going down in April like other stocks. Cramer commented:
“Okay, so Salesforce is a little tough right now because right now, the enterprise software companies are all coming down. I have not been recommending the stock hard. I want to see what happens with the quarter. I wish I could be more definite, but sometimes it’s better just to say I don’t have a handle on it.”
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) offers CRM technology and a suite of AI-powered platforms and tools, including Agentforce, Data Cloud, Slack, Tableau, and field service solutions to improve customer engagement, analytics, and business productivity. In an April episode, Cramer mentioned the best-performing stocks of the last 20 years and mentioned the company stock. He said:
“Next, in 14th place is one of my all-time favorites, and that’s Salesforce, up 6,738%. This company started as a customer relations management software play, basically invented the cloud software strategy, and now is one of the largest and most successful enterprise software companies on the planet. Salesforce now offers an entire suite of products spanning sales, marketing, customer service, and data analytics. And it always seems to be at the leading edge of whatever big trend is happening in software, including right now with their Agentic platform that harnesses AI, okay, kind of like a a robot that you would speak to when you’re trying to figure out exactly who you want to get to in a company.
More impressive, the stock still made the list even though it’s down 28% from its highs in December. We just had Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff on the show last week. He sounded as confident as ever. I say you doubt this man at your own peril. He did the same thing in the fall of 2008 when the financial crisis was obliterating the stock market. That turned out to be an incredible buying opportunity. I know some of you think I’ve been sticking around too long on this company. I think its Agentforce program could be dramatically understated for the growth prospects it’s going to bring the company. It could blow out the numbers, okay? I’m not sure which quarter’s going to do that, but I swear by this Agentic. It makes too much sense. Don’t leave the stock.”
While we acknowledge the potential of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CRM and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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