During the most recent episode of Mad Money, which aired on Monday, the 12th of May, Jim Cramer discussed the recent market rally and encouraged his viewers to stay invested. He also emphasized the importance of earnings, saying:
“Earnings matter again, okay? That’s what happened last night when the United States and China reached an agreement, however temporary, to hold off trade armageddon. The rollback of the exorbitant tariffs to much more reasonable levels caused the stock market to explode.”
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Although Cramer was happy about the market’s recovery, he reminded his viewers that the S&P 500 is still flat on a year-to-date basis and discussed how other regions are doing:
“Now don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it happened, but I just spent a week in Europe, and it is stunning how much better the markets are doing over there.”
His final reminder was for his viewers to just stay invested in the market and avoid trying to time the market, saying:
“Bottom line: It’s better to stay in, stay on, and let her ride than to try to pick the perfect moment to trade in and out and in and out of the stock market. By the way, that’s not much of a strategy. It’s more of a game of chicken where there are no winners, just losers who think they are smarter than the average bear.”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 10 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the Mad Money episode that aired on the 13th of May 2024. We then calculated their performance for the past 12 months, until May 13th, 2025, market close. We have also included the hedge fund sentiment for the stocks, which we sourced from Insider Monkey’s Q4 2024 database of over 900 hedge funds. The stocks are listed in the order that Cramer mentioned them.
Please note that this article mentions Jim Cramer’s previous opinions and may not account for any changes to his opinions regarding the stocks that are mentioned. It is primarily an examination of how his previously provided opinions have panned out.
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).
10. Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 166
In that older episode, Jim Cramer analyzed the state of the gig economy and began with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), following its earnings report, a $7 billion buyback announcement, and a subsequent 5.7% drop in the stock at the time. Despite the pullback, Cramer remained bullish and said:
“The stock could soar like that because these guys figured out how to deliver profitable growth. When Uber reported in February, they delivered blowout numbers and followed that up a few days later by announcing a $7 billion buyback — wow, first in its company’s history. […] I thought the results were mostly pretty good. Revenue beat. EBITDA beat. Massive free cash flow beat, with the latter up 148% year-over-year. […] CEO Dara Khosrowshahi explained that the loss came primarily from a markdown for Uber’s equity stakes in other companies like the ride-sharing company in China they had — Didi Global — it had nothing to do with the core business, so it should have been ignored. […] I got to tell you, even after that, I’m pretty sanguine about the prospects of Uber. The bull thesis here is that the company’s consistently growing profits and throwing off tons of new cash flow, even if there’s some softness on the gross bookings front. […] I’m viewing this post–first quarter shakeout as an appropriate reset of expectations. […] You’ve got my blessing to buy it because the company will be buying right alongside you. I really like the stock here.”
Cramer’s call was spot on, as Uber soared 38.93% over the next twelve months.
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) operates a global mobility platform offering ride-hailing, food delivery through Uber Eats, and freight logistics services. Cramer remains bullish on he stock and had this to say on the 2nd of May:
“We’ve come to expect that Uber trades down after it reports, and you’ve gotta buy the rideshare king because it’s got so much going for it worldwide. I bet that plays out again, just like Marriott. Stock reports, stock gets hit, gotta buy it.”
9. Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55
Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) was brought up right after Uber in that segment, with Cramer comparing their respective earnings reports and highlighting Lyft’s surprising strength under its new CEO. He viewed it as a turnaround play and said:
“They had another solid quarter under newest CEO David Risher. […] Looks like they’re finally on a more competitive footing. […] Lyft’s gross bookings growth matched Uber’s in the first quarter, and Lyft’s guidance for second quarter bookings implies they’ll match Uber yet again. […] Lyft reported a modest EBITDA and surprisingly positive free cash flow for the second quarter in a row. Good guidance on the profitability front for the current quarter too. […] I like it. I think he’s right. […] Lyft mostly confirmed its previous outlook — except they raised the free cash flow guidance pretty substantially. […] Lyft continued to make progress towards the goal of becoming a profitable growth story, which is what Risher’s been aiming for since he took the reins about a year ago. […] The results were good enough to send the stock up 7.1% last Wednesday. […] I have been really impressed with what Risher’s done in his first year on the job, and the stock definitely deserved to rally in response to the strong quarter — especially since it looks like Lyft has stemmed the share loss to Uber and done so without compromising profitability. […] I bet the stock can work higher as long as those narratives remain in place. […] In fact, as long as Risher continues to turn things around, I actually wouldn’t be surprised if Lyft even became a takeover target if the stock stays down here while the big turn comes.”
That narrative never turned into market gains, as Lyft ended the year almost flat, down 0.29%.
Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) is a U.S.-based ride-sharing company that connects passengers with drivers via its mobile app, focusing on transportation and bike/scooter rentals. Despite not living up to the expectations, Cramer mentioned the stock again last September, saying:
“What am I missing with Lyft here? Okay, it got overheated. I think people felt that it was a true duopoly like nothing could go wrong. But I’m with you. I think Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) should be bought here because it’s now inexpensive, believe it or not, on the numbers.”
8. DoorDash, Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 88
Later in the segment, Cramer turned to food delivery players and focused on DoorDash, Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH), following its earnings report and a 10% stock drop due to cautious guidance at the time. Despite investor skepticism, he remained optimistic back then and said:
“The food delivery service company delivered a solid quarter with seemingly grim guidance that sent the stock down more than 10% the next day. […] I wanted to see if people were backing away from DoorDash’s offerings […] but I didn’t see much evidence of demand slackening in the quarter, and the guidance doesn’t reflect that either. […] They’re just making some big investments in order to bolster the company’s growth in the second half of the year and beyond. […] Personally, I think DoorDash has earned the benefit of the doubt here. […] But at the very moment, there’s very little patience for a new investment cycle, which is what the company seemed to be telegraphing. […] In the end, I got tremendous respect for DoorDash’s co-founder and CEO Tony Xu, and like I said, my gut instinct is that the company deserves the benefit of the doubt as it spends more to grow the business. […] I think DoorDash is worth your trust — just don’t expect it to earn the market’s trust anytime soon.”
DoorDash defied the doubt and surged 69.77%, making this one of Cramer’s best calls from that segment.
DoorDash, Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH) is an online food delivery platform that connects consumers with local restaurants and merchants through its on-demand logistics network. Cramer had this to say in April regarding increasing competition in the industry:
“Okay, well look—it’s an expensive stock, but I believe in Tony Xu. I have believed in Tony Xu when it was private and when I owned restaurants, and I think he’s doing a terrific job. I actually liked the quarter. I think people were way too quick to say it wasn’t great. They, I think, will be judged harshly.”
7. Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47
A caller asked about Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN) (then Ceda Fair L.P.) and whether they should continue holding the stock ahead of its merger with Six Flags at the time. Cramer noted the recent run-up and advised trimming:
“This just had a major run and its yield is not that great here. I want you to sell half — just sell half, okay? Not more than that. But you got to sell half because it just had a parabolic move. Parabolic moves are dangerous. You sell half, let the rest play, and you will probably be playing with the house’s money.”
That was a smart warning, as the stock fell 17.24% in the months that followed.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (NYSE:FUN) is a regional theme park operator in North America known for its roller coasters and amusement park experiences.
6. Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ:CART)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Maplebear, Inc. (NASDAQ:CART), was the final gig economy stock Cramer reviewed that evening. The company had recently reported a strong quarter, but its stock dropped sharply, and Cramer expressed hesitation given competitive risks. He said:
“The plan worked because when Maplebear reported last Wednesday, the quarter looked awfully similar to the one everybody loved back in February. […] The company delivered another big surprise profit, making 43 cents of earnings per share when analysts were looking for a 2 cent loss. […] Management’s guidance for the current quarter was on the high end for gross transaction volume and was flat out better than expected for EBITDA — substantially so. […] But it eventually gave up those gains and then some, ending the day down 3.7% and then tumbling another 3.1% the following Friday. […] The real reason I hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend Instacart’s parent company is that I’m just not sure how the grocery delivery space is going to work out in the long run. […] They need to do that because three weeks ago Amazon announced a new low-cost grocery delivery subscription for Prime customers. […] I don’t think they’ll ever truly stop trying — and in the end, well, you don’t want to compete against Amazon. […] It’s still too early for me to get behind this one — especially with Amazon desperate to take over the online grocery delivery space, and I think they have the horses to do it. […] I’m kind of wary of Instacart.”
That wariness was unfounded, as the stock rose 27.51% over the next twelve months.
Maplebear, Inc. (NASDAQ:CART), the parent company of Instacart, operates a grocery technology platform that provides online ordering and delivery from supermarkets and retailers.
5. Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 85
Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG) had been a long-time favorite of Cramer, and in that older episode he updated his bullish thesis following another blowout quarter that sent the stock to new highs. He reiterated his belief in the nuclear energy play with:
“There is no utility I like more than Constellation Energy. […] I’ve been recommending it practically the whole way, starting when it was trading at 53 and change. […] The story just keeps getting better. […] Probably one of the greatest growth stories of our time. […] Believe it or not, they managed to surprise expectations again — in fact, this is one of the single best reports that we’ve seen this earnings season. […] The new key metric — operating earnings — came in at $1.82 per share. Wall Street was only looking for $1.30. Isn’t that incredible? […] Constellation also added another billion dollars to its buyback, bringing the total authorization to $3 billion. They’ve already repurchased $1.5 billion worth of stock so far this year. […] This is such a reindustrialization story — the data economy and Constellation’s nuclear energy go together like peanut butter and jelly. […] CEO Joe Dominguez said his company’s ‘in advanced conversations with multiple clients — large, well-known companies — about powering their needs.’ […] Constellation Energy’s been one of my single greatest picks in recent years. […] Forgive me if I remain bullish on Constellation Energy even after the stock has rocketed higher. […] We somehow still seem to be in the early days of the story.”
His conviction paid off again, as Constellation surged 36.49% since then.
Constellation Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:CEG) is a power generation company focused on clean energy, primarily operating nuclear plants and serving large-scale industrial and data center clients.
4. AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43
Cramer brought up AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) to highlight how aggressive buybacks, rather than explosive earnings growth, had been driving the stock’s incredible performance at the time. He pointed out:
“AutoNation… reported a pretty good quarter, leading to yet another leg higher for the stock. […] I think it’s AutoNation’s buyback that’s been driving this one higher. […] The company’s share count has fallen from just under 90 million shares in 2020 to around 40 million now — they repurchased more than half the stock. […]
AutoNation just announced a new $1 billion buyback. […] You won’t hear me criticize any company with that big a buyback, one that’s made so much money for shareholders. I think there should have been more recognition that AutoNation’s incredible success fuels the buyback, which in turn fuels itself.”
The buyback thesis held up, with the stock advancing 13.01% since then.
AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE:AN) is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States, selling new and used vehicles and offering repair and maintenance services. In February this year, Cramer highlighted the robust used car market as he shared:
“AutoNation, positive note today. Used cars are selling really well.”
3. AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (NYSE:AB)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 10
A caller was looking to boost yield and asked about AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (NYSE:AB) as a potential income and appreciation play back then. Cramer expressed support for the idea at the time:
“Very well-run company. Always surprised that it is as inexpensive as it is — which is why you’ve got that big yield. So I do support that idea.”
The stock rewarded that support, climbing 25.30% over the past year.
AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. (NYSE:AB) is a global investment management firm providing research and diversified asset management services to institutional and retail clients.
2. Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 30
A viewer asked about Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG), and Cramer contrasted it with Confluent, which he had just discussed in that older episode. He praised the company for finally executing well at the time after years of struggle back then:
“Yeah, this is a — this is a fabulous company. It’s funny, because the previous stock was one where I said, ‘get it together, it could be huge, if not otherwise.’ Well, this company struggled to get it together for years, and they have gotten together now. And I have to hand it to them — they stuck with it. And enterprise storage solution — I typically don’t recommend them — I do like Pure Storage.”
But the turnaround was mild at best, with the stock gaining only 1.45% since.
Pure Storage, Inc. (NYSE:PSTG) is an enterprise data storage company that provides flash-based storage hardware and software solutions for businesses.
1. Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 49
Cramer was asked about Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) by a longtime viewer impressed by its recent earnings beat. While acknowledging its potential at the time, Cramer voiced skepticism:
“Oh my God, I mean — look, that is — Gregory is so right. If this gets together, this thing could just be a rocket ship. But if it doesn’t — I’m going to have to say I think the chances are that it doesn’t. And I’m not going to recommend the stock here.”
Jim Cramer’s skepticism was well-placed, as the stock dropped 22.83% since his comment.
Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) is a data infrastructure company that builds real-time data streaming platforms based on Apache Kafka for enterprises.
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