In this piece, we will look at the stocks Jim Cramer discussed.
In a recent appearance on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Jim Cramer discussed data from Edmunds.com, which commented on affordability struggles across America. Quoted by the Detroit Free Press, the data showed that in the fourth quarter of 2025, the highest percentage of new car buyers had committed to $1,000 or more in monthly payments. In percentage terms, 20.3% of all new car buyers had committed to the monthly payments, with the percentage sitting at 6.3% for used car buyers. The CNBC TV host linked the data with interest rates and reiterated his belief that the rates should be lower:
“Look, let’s say you’re President Trump. . .you know, rates should be lower. I am with him on this. I am looking at property and I want a teaser rate. I am looking at cars and I say, I’m not going to pay that. I’m not paying that payment, we need a teaser rate because I have a mortgage, I want to sell a place, I have a mortgage at three, and without a teaser rate, I’m playing at six. I feel like it’s like I’m ripping myself off.”
Our Methodology
To make our list of the stocks that Jim Cramer talked about, we listed down the stocks he mentioned during CNBC’s Squawk on the Street aired on January 6th. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the third quarter of 2025, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of 978 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).
9. D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 64
D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI) is one of the largest homebuilding companies in America. Its shares are up by 13.6% over the past year to make the firm one of the better-performing stocks in its sector. Cramer linked the firm to the broader homebuilding sector after Wells Fargo downgraded D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI) to Equal Weight from Overweight and cut the share price target to $155 from $180. The bank pointed out that it was witnessing inventory buildup and discounting in the industry. Citizens also downgraded D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI)’s stock in January. It cut the share rating to Market Perform from Market Outperform and remarked that the firm could see inventory clearing in 2026. Cramer tied the pessimism surrounding homebuilding stocks to interest rates:
“Alright David, you talked about what punches above its weight. And that’s housing, as well as Ford stock. Okay, this morning, jeez these research firms are taking aim at housing. Here’s a piece by Wells Fargo, actually a very informed piece, which downgrade Horton, the largest. And then, UBS downgrades Lennar, KBH, price target cut. This is a sign, again, rates are too high, rates are too high, and that’s because they were so low. . .it’s relative to where they were and you can’t buy starter homes. . . .these cannot get any traction, none. . .”
8. The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 106
Throughout 2025, Jim Cramer kept the faith with The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) even though the firm struggled with regulatory headwinds and production woes. Its shares are up by 37% over the past year, and Cramer had hinted that the firm was improving its cash flow in the first half of 2025. Bernstein raised The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA)’s share price target to $277 from $267 in January and kept an Outperform rating on the shares. Naming the firm as a top pick for 2026, the financial firm pointed out that the aerospace company had improved its 737 and 787 programs. The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) also scored a win in December when it won a $930 million deal from the US Navy to extend the service life of certain fighter aircraft. Cramer continued to have faith in the firm and praised its CEO:
“And here I thought David you were going to talk about Kelly Ortberg and Boeing. You know I think the world of this fellow. And he’s amazing and we’re starting to get some real recognition this morning. I saw Bernstein say 267, goes to 277, demand remains high, outstrips supply to 2030. This stock has had a remarkable run, it continues to have it, it’s a big name for the trust, because they had amazing, they had unbelievable cash flow when they last reported, the stock immediately lost 40 dollars. I didn’t understand that all. But the thing’s coming back, and I think a lot of it, you’ve got to put this at the feet of Ortberg, who decided you know what, we’re gonna go and make this thing great and safe before we go to FAA and say we want more. It’s his style.”
7. NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 89
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)’s shares are down by 8% over the past year as the firm struggles to convince markets about the merits of its turnaround. However, since mid-December, the stock is up by 15%. Despite the stock’s woes, Cramer has continued to defend NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE). He believes that the firm’s CEO, Elliott Hill, is the right executive for the job. More recently, the CNBC TV host commented that Hill would soon execute a turnaround in China as well. Analysts have been busy discussing NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)’s shares in 2026. For instance, Needham downgraded the shares to Hold from Buy and pointed toward the uncertain recovery timeline in China. RBC Capital cut the share price target to $78 from $85 and kept an Outperform rating. The financial firm also pointed out that NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) was facing uncertain timelines for its profitability through its turnaround. Cramer continued to defend Hill and also mentioned Apple CEO Tim Cook buying the shares:
“Now there’s a lot of talk, like even today, there’s some analysts who’re saying, look it’s delayed, and he cuts his price target. . .look all I can tell you is this I think that Elliott Hill this is not. . .but I do think that the Nike is actually, RBC lowered the price target, I’m saying Nike is ahead of schedule. I think that Elliott Hill addressed the US and now he’s going to address China with a vengence and there’s some competition there. . .but I do think that you really have to keep track of what Elliott is doing, because he has, that company turned out to be far worse, in far worse shape that we thought. And the fact that there is that level of conviction that Tim Cook took the swing like that, he didn’t need to do that. . .I mean this stock is down. . .”
6. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 166
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of Cramer’s favorite stocks. The CNBC TV host spent most of 2025 defending the firm against its detractors as the shares struggled due to multiple news cycles, such as weak iPhone performance and a lack of AI initiatives. In January, Bernstein reiterated a Buy rating on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s shares and set a $325 share price target. Bernstein’s coverage came after Raymond James had set a Hold rating on the shares, as it pointed out that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) might find it hard to eke out additional gains from its current strengths of product cycles and a robust hardware ecosystem. However, Cramer continues to believe that the shares should be held, as he added that in 2026, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) can integrate Gemini into its platform:
“Well some innate, you know there’s another analyst that comes out and says that the games are not selling as well in this retail store. We’re playing that game again. It is amazing, remember how many times we’ve played the game? Well there’s a component maker in Taiwan, that’s not giving good numbers for Apple. Just own it, okay. This is the year when Gemini, Google, pays them a check to be the only sole source for AI, that’s my prediction.
“Apple’s got good, they were ready for this more than everybody else. Look, obviously even the companies themselves who are in that business, you take a Lam or a KLA, or Applied Materials, no one saw this coming.”
5. Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 61
Storage company Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK)’s shares are up by an unbelievable 705% since March 2025. Year-to-date alone, the shares have marked a 53% gain. The shares haven’t gone unnoticed by analysts either, as in January, BofA discussed Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK). It raised the share price target to $390 from $300 and set a Buy rating on the shares. Before BofA, JPMorgan had kept a Neutral rating on Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) and set a $235 share price target in December. JPMorgan pointed out that the firm could benefit from tailwinds generated by AI-induced storage demand. Cramer commented on Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) in December and remarked that the shares were “not the ones to be in.” In this appearance, he discussed the firm in the context of NVIDIA CEO’s comments at CES in Las Vegas:
“Now I wanna talk about a stock that is up 34% for the year. Sandisk. . .this is again right at the heart of when you listen to all the things that Jensen said, you wanna get memory. And memory is very thinly traded, this is a $46 billion company. But holy cow, this thing was $27 in April of 25′. It was one of the top five in the S&P. . .there’s a shortage, this is a shortage. . .there’s a storage shortage of monumental proportion which is why I don’t like the PC business.”
BlackRock Science and Technology Term Trust also discussed Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Lastly, an underweight position in Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) (%) detracted from performance, the memory manufacturer rallied due to surging demand for their flash memory products from AI and cloud infrastructure, improved margins following Western Digital’s flash division spin-off, and bullish analyst upgrades amid tight supply and rising flash prices.”
4. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 81
Chip manufacturing giant Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s shares are up by 137% over the past year. In 2026, the stock is up by 19.9% year-to-date. A key catalyst for the stock came in January after the stock surged following the firm’s latest AI processor announcements. These processors are the ones built using Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s leading-edge 18A chip manufacturing technology. The firm claims that the new chips will prove critical for computing AI workloads. Melius Research bumped Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s shares to Buy from Hold and kept a $50 share price target. At the center of the upgrade was the research firm’s belief that Apple and NVIDIA could be interested in using the chip manufacturer’s next-generation 14A chip manufacturing technology. Cramer discussed the note and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)’s ties with the US government:
“I thought that was important, I think Lip-Bu Tan is doing an amazing job. I also think by the way like, like Ben Reitzes had in his piece yesterday. . .that this is the favorite stock of the President. I mean it doesn’t hurt that the President has a big position in it, well, the government.”
Alpha Wealth Insiders Fund discussed Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Business: Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is a global semiconductor leader designing and manufacturing CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators that power PCs, data centers, and edge devices. Under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, Intel is refocusing on its core chip business while expanding its foundry operations to produce chips for other companies. The company is restructuring, spinning off non-core units, and pursuing government-backed initiatives to restore U.S. semiconductor leadership and long-term competitiveness against NVIDIA, AMD, and TSMC.
Insider Buying/Selling: In March 2025, Intel’s new CEO Lip-Bu Tan bought 1,043,406 shares for ~$25 million, per his commitment to invest in the company. Barron’s. Here’s what I found: In August 2025, the U.S. government struck a deal to convert roughly $11.1 billion in CHIPS Act and defense-oriented grants into a 9.9 % equity stake in Intel (~433.3 million shares at $20.47 each). (Intel Corporation)…” (Click here to read the full text)”
3. Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 51
Restaurant chain Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT)’s shares are up by 14% over the past year as the firm has operated in a tough restaurant industry plagued with high prices. Evercore’s David Palmer revealed in December on CNBC that Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) was his preferred stock due to consistent execution and strong value. Palmer added that the restaurant firm could position itself to benefit from the demand from middle-income customers. Cramer agrees with the Evercore analyst, as he has asserted multiple times in 2025 that Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) benefits from strong management and a smart pricing strategy designed to retain market share in the current environment. In this appearance, he reiterated these points:
“Look Kevin Hochman’s done a great job. The stock really dipped big when cattle prices went way up. I’m glad to see it’s coming back. I think he’s got cattle price under control. He has a $10 meal, and most people don’t have that, it’s actually pretty terrific, people should try it.”
Antipodes Global Value Strategy also commented on Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Restaurant operator Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT) lagged peers despite strong quarterly results. Brinker reported a 21% year-on-year increase in revenue, with the company beating consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Positive sales momentum at Brinker’s Chili’s franchises was offset by investor concerns around competition and broader macro softness.”
2. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 78
Analytics firm Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR)’s shares are among the top performers in the stock market. They are up by 173% over the past year. Truist initiated coverage on the stock on January 6th and set a $223 share price target along with a Buy rating. The financial firm explained that Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) could significantly benefit from enabling governments and businesses to adopt generative AI. Truist added that the firm has also benefited from its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) not only in terms of top-line growth but also through robust operating margins. Cramer is also a believer in Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR), and in this appearance, he discussed the firm’s management:
“A lot of people are skeptical of Palantir, because it sells at 244 times earnings. This morning, Truist comes out with a terrific piece. $223 price target, Rule of 80, that means it’s a fast growing company that actually makes money. If you want to read how this company stock got to where it is, the Truist piece is excellent. I continue to believe in the team, you know people keep talking about Alex Karp. There’s a team of people there, Alex is fiery, the other people, not as fiery. But I believe in them, and that’s based on the fact that everybody I speak to who brings them in, just says they have changed their companies radically, making them thinner, better, more effective. My hat’s off to Palantir, I think they’re a really great company.”
1. AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holdings: 28
AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) is a large aerospace and defense company that provides components, engineering services, and other products to the aerospace industry. Its shares are up by 39.7% over the past year and by 16.7% year-to-date. Several analysts have discussed AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR)’s stock in 2025. For instance, RBC Capital bumped the share price target to $105 from $90 and kept an Outperform rating. The financial firm explained that AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) has the potential to pursue mergers and acquisitions due to its healthy leverage ratio. Like RBC Capital, Keybanc also kept an Overweight rating in January. It set a $93 share price target for AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) and pointed out that parts distribution activity and market share gains had contributed to the aerospace company’s latest quarterly performance. Cramer also mentioned the demand for AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) in his remarks:
“Okay I have a company called AAR. . .I think aerospace is a big theme for me, for, as far as I’m concerned, big theme for me for the whole of 2026. Because the demand is so great. Now this company sells leases, commercial jets, it also repairs engines. They have a great handle on it.”
While we acknowledge the potential of AIR to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some 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 AIR and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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