Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, said on Monday that investors should be careful and not assume that geopolitical headlines automatically turn into lasting business opportunities.
“I need you to understand what makes my approach different from the conventional wisdom. It’s all rooted in the sales and trading I did for 20 years before Mad Money started. I want to show you the fallacy of trading and the greatness of owning, and today is a terrific day to do so. First of all, we know the story of the day, right? President Trump’s overthrow of the ruler of Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro. There’s a lot that can be done and said about the Donroe Doctrine and what it means for American foreign policy, but as investors, come on, we want to try to make money off it.”
READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Discussed 12 Stocks and Macroeconomic Conditions and Jim Cramer Shared His Takes on These 11 Stocks.
Cramer said people tune in because they want to know how to make money from the news. At the same time, he added that even a major geopolitical development does not always translate into a meaningful long-term business outcome, and he reminded viewers that his focus is on sustained gains rather than short-term profits that come from quick trades.
“Look, I think most of the gains have already been made in the oil complex, and at this point, I’d rather you focus on investing in terrific companies that are trading at a discount because that’s what 2026 will be all about.”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 16 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on January 5. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. 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).
Jim Cramer Offered Insights on These 16 Stocks
16. DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Toward the end of the lightning round, responding to a caller’s question about the stock, Cramer commented:
“You know, do you know that this used to be a very expensive growth company, and now it is worth very little? And I think it absolutely represents some value here. I’m glad you brought it to my attention. I’m going to suggest that you buy some and put it away.”
DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY) makes dental equipment and digital tools, including imaging systems, scanners, 3D printing solutions, and everyday dental instruments and consumables. In addition, it provides clear aligners, implant and restorative products, treatment-planning software, and some healthcare products, including catheters and irrigation systems. Heartland Advisors stated the following regarding DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Last quarter, we discussed how management at DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ:XRAY), one of the world’s leading suppliers of dental equipment and supplies, had been laying the groundwork for a turnaround for more than two years. Those efforts had yet to be reflected in the stock price.
In the third quarter, CEO Simon Campion stepped down after three years at the helm and was replaced by Daniel Scavilla. Under Campion, XRAY focused on SKU rationalization and other cost initiatives but failed to keep up with its peers in terms of top-line growth. CEO Scavilla has a record of sales success at Globus Medical Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. We are encouraged by his initial strategies to arm the sales force better to go to market with the company’s existing portfolio and near-term goals to improve margins and free cash flows.
Dentsply was among the Fund’s worst performers for the quarter, however trading at 6.7X estimated earnings, its valuation seems extremely discounted. Thus we will remain patient and sit tight with the position believing that the upside potential far outweighs the downside risk. However, our patience has a limit, and we will closely monitor XRAY’s progress.”
15. Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. During the lightning round, a caller sought Cramer’s opinion on the stock, and he replied:
“Oh, Nokia is tough… Nokia is very tough. And I’ll tell you why Nokia is tough because it’s up against Apple. It’s up against a lot of different great companies. Hey, by the way, Apple was down badly today. I have to tell you, I think this is a pretty good level to buy some Apple, down four bucks. I think, buy a little Apple and then it comes down a little more, buy some more.”
Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK) develops mobile, fixed, and cloud network solutions, including 5G, optical, and IP network technologies. During the October 28, 2025, episode, Cramer discussed NVIDIA’s stake in the company, as he commented:
“Nvidia takes a $1 billion stake in Nokia. Yes, Nokia, remember them? That’s a 2.9% stake, 166 million shares at $61. They’re partnering up to work on AI native mobile networks and AI network infrastructure. The goal is to make everything faster. Now, look, I think that’s terrific, but more importantly, if you own Nokia, you just made 23% in one day as the stock roared from $6 and 42 cents to $7 and 77 cents and traded, by the way, as high as $8 and 19 cents.
Now, till today, I don’t think many of us were really paying much attention to Nokia anymore. I certainly wasn’t. It felt like the stock had been left for dead for years. In the year of magical investing, though, the investors who believed that Nokia was more than just a river in Finland, well, they just caught a windfall. It’s incredible, this kind of thing. It’s not supposed to happen.”
14. Immunome, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMNM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
Immunome, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMNM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. When a caller inquired about the stock, Cramer stated:
“This company’s losing so much money, I know, but it’s Dr. Siegall… So therefore, if you want to speculate on it, fine. But we do not think that you’re investing.”
Immunome, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMNM) is a clinical-stage biotech company that focuses on developing targeted cancer treatments, with a leading drug candidate in late-stage testing and another in early clinical trials. The company’s pipeline also includes earlier-stage therapies aimed at treating solid tumors with more precise approaches. On December 15, 2025, it announced that the Phase 3 RINGSIDE trial of varegacestat showed strong results in patients with progressing desmoid tumors.
The drug showed a reduction of risk of disease progression or death by 84% versus placebo. Additionally, it delivered a 56% response rate compared with 9% for placebo, and reduced tumor volume by 83%, and mostly only showed mild to moderate side effects. Immunome, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMNM) plans to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Q2 2026. Sarcoma medical oncologist and drug development specialist and RINGSIDE primary investigator, Mrinal M. Gounder, M.D. said:
“The progression-free survival benefit, high response rate and reduction in tumor volume with varegacestat in the RINGSIDE trial are striking. These findings elevate the role of GSIs and confirm varegacestat could become standard of care in the treatment of desmoid tumors.”
13. Voyager Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:VOYG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19
Voyager Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:VOYG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Answering a caller’s query about the stock during the lightning round, Cramer said:
“No, look, it’s got, it’s space, and it’s national security. Those are two of my favorite teams. I think it’s a very good speculation.”
Voyager Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:VOYG) develops defense systems, intelligence solutions, and advanced communication technologies, while also providing space propulsion, infrastructure, and mission management products. During the September 29, 2025, episode, when a caller sought Cramer’s advice on the stock, he replied:
“Okay, it’s a great question. Now, if you remember, about a week ago, I decided, okay, enough of the speculation. I’m not buying, I’m not going to do them unless they’re making some money. We had a really good run on these specs, but I am not going to hurt people, and this company is losing too much money for me to recommend. I’m going to let others buy it. We’re not going to.”
12. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 88
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer discussed the trust’s position in the stock, as he remarked:
“We sold some Costco for the Charitable Trust. Frankly, we would have sold all of it, but the company’s too good… I was about to dump the whole rest of the position… when Larry Williams, the legendary technician and market historian, wrote me and said it was time to buy Costco. As much as I don’t like to stick with a stock that slides endlessly, I also don’t like to bet against Williams… Let’s take a look at what he sees. Alright, first take a look at this weekly chart. The blue line near the bottom is Williams’s proprietary valuation gauge… Currently, it reflects that Costco stock is undervalued… Now, go down further, and you see the red line, which is Williams’ measure of professional accumulation… Put it all together, and he thinks that Costco’s just like a coiled spring waiting for the right moment to soar higher and it was not necessarily today even though it was a good day for Costco but when you see this it’s very rare… Now Larry’s cycle forecast suggests that the stock is ready to roar… In other words, the short-term cycle indicates that the next five months should be pretty darn good for Costco…
Here’s the bottom line: Even though Costco has been a painful investment for the Charitable Trust over the past year, when Larry Williams says the stock’s ready to run, my inclination is to bet with him, not against him, because his track record is just that good. I would change my mind only if I had an awful experience at a Costco. That’s never happened between my last three visits at three different stores around the country. Larry Williams says buy Costco.”
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) operates membership warehouses and provides groceries, fresh food, household goods, electronics, and more. In addition, the company offers various services through pharmacies, gas stations, optical centers, and e-commerce options.
11. Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 102
Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. During the episode, a caller inquired if the stock is a buy, and in response, Cramer said:
“I have to tell you, I thought the quarter wasn’t that bad… I was quite surprised about the negative reaction. You know it is a highly valued company, but I think Sridhar Ramaswamy is a terrific CEO, and I think the stock is, quite frankly, a buy.”
Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) provides a cloud platform that helps organizations pull their data into one place so they can analyze it, build data apps, share information, and use AI to solve business challenges. During the episode that was aired on December 15, 2025, a caller asked Cramer about the stock, and he responded:
“Okay, what’s wrong with Snowflake is it’s in a cohort that’s going down, and it’s in baskets that are going down, and it’s considered to be AI, which is going down because everybody who’s saying, ooh, maybe there’s a bubble, the bubble popped, idiots. It popped at the end of October, and I’ve watched these stocks all go down since then. But the people who are sightseeing, liberal arts jokers, are now telling me that there’s a bubble that’s brewing. Dopes. It already popped.”
10. Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on.
When a caller mentioned that they wish to buy more AFRM shares, Cramer remarked:
“Oh, you should buy more…. I think that stock is going to par, which is genuine Wall Street gibberish for $100. It’s at $80 right now. Max Levchin, genius. He’s a funny guy, too. Come on, man.”
Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) provides a digital payment platform that enables consumers to pay for purchases over time through its point-of-sale solutions and app. Cramer discussed the company’s last quarter during the December 15, 2025, episode. The Mad Money host said:
“A little over a month ago, we got a really impressive quarter from Affirm Holdings, the buy now, pay later powerhouse… [It] posted a 12-cent earnings beat off an 11% basis with much higher than expected revenue. The stock shot up more than 11% the next day, reaching a high of $79 and change a couple of days later. Since then, though, Affirm has gradually drifted lower because of concerns about the state of the consumer to the point where it’s now back to $65 and change, trading like that great quarter never happened. I think that’s crazy because the Fed just cut interest rates again last week and even before that, we got a ton of very positive quarters from all sorts of retailers, suggesting the consumer’s doing fine.”
9. ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 104
ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Highlighting its recent stock split, a caller asked if Cramer likes the stock at the current levels. He replied:
“Well, the problem is that it is a software company and the software companies are being eaten by the hardware, some would say. It still has a high price-to-earnings multiple. I was surprised the stock gave up so many points on Friday. I thought it would bounce back today, and it really didn’t. I think that at 42 times earnings, it’s a PE multiple, it’s still a little too high for me. It is one of the better companies in an industry that is being, well, it’s having a tough time with AI, even though it is an AI leader itself. Odd, huh?”
ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) provides a cloud platform that supports digital workflows through AI, automation, low-code tools, analytics, and a set of IT, security, customer-service, and employee-experience products. TCW Concentrated Large Cap Growth Fund stated the following regarding ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Our weakest relative performance during the quarter came from the information technology sector. Shares of ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) (NOW; 5.15%**) moved lower despite reporting strong quarterly results. YoY growth in cRPO (current Remaining Performance Obligations) topped consensus expectations (+21.5% vs. +19.4%) and subscription revenue also beat consensus estimates, driven by net new ACV (Annual Contract Value) outperformance and better than expected on-premise sales. Investor concerns over NOW’s exposure to the U.S. Federal government have been an overhang for the stock, but NOW added six new government logos during the quarter, and the company has embedded conservatism into their guidance for next quarter. New products are showing strength, and AI-embedded SKUs are gaining traction as NOW closed 21 deals with 5+ Now Assist products (and the company closed a $20m deal during the quarter). We believe investors may not grasp the dominance of NOW’s competitive position as a workflow platform that can sit atop all systems of record in a company and provide workflow engines to get things done across multiple systems. ServiceNow is deeply entrenched across enterprises and may be able to serve as the single pane of glass for deploying and managing AI agents. We remain bullish on shares.”
8. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 103
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer highlighted the company’s latest spin-off plans for one of its divisions, as he commented:
“The fastest grower, the best opportunity here would not be Eli Lilly, which has moved a great deal and I still like, but Johnson & Johnson. It’s spinning off its orthopaedics business, DePuy Synthes, something that will immediately raise its price-to-earnings multiple because that business has much slower growth than the core pharma franchise. Same thing happened when J&J spun off Kenvue, its over-the-counter drug business. Great move to raise the valuation. At one point, this stock was down more than $5 today. I think it’s a terrific entry point even down three.”
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) develops and sells healthcare products, including pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, with treatments in immunology, oncology, neuroscience, cardiovascular care, and infectious diseases. In addition, the company provides surgical systems, orthopaedic solutions, cardiovascular devices, and vision care products. Cramer highlighted his fondness for the stock during the November 25, 2025, episode, as he said:
“You could own JNJ and Merck with their incredible franchises. You know what? I’m actually particularly fond of JNJ right now. They’re spinning off their commoditized artificial joint business.”
7. Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 129
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer showed a bullish sentiment toward the company’s acquisition of Discover, as he remarked:
“It’s the big move, the multiple-year move that I want you to get. Let’s consider Capital One, which recently acquired Discover to become a very heavy hitter in the credit card space. I think this bank, which trades at just 12 times earnings, is the cheapest of all. It’s terrific if you think there’ll be rate cuts this year, something that is pretty much assured, given the candidates that President Trump is looking to replace Jay Powell, right? Capital One will be using this Discover network that it bought last year to extend… and it’s buying back a ton of stock itself. It’s not too late to buy the stock, which the Charitable Trust owns a lot of.”
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) provides banking and financial services, including credit cards, loans, deposit accounts, and commercial banking solutions. During the December 22, 2025, episode, Cramer noted that he has high hopes for the company’s stock. He stated:
“Keep an eye out for another big position in the trust, it’s Capital One, COF. Now, it’s the credit card company, it’s up about 38%. I think it’s going to be a monster year in 2026 for these guys.”
6. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 107
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer noted the company’s low valuation despite a significant run, as he said:
“Or how about Citi, which was up huge in the last year, but still only sells for 12 times this year’s earnings estimates. I think Citi will exceed those estimates, continue its resurrection from the dead. The stock opened just a little bit higher, so if you bought it here, you would have made, had a decent shot at making money as Citi finished up almost 4% as well.”
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) provides financial products and services across banking, markets, and wealth management. First Pacific Advisors stated the following regarding Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) has improved its return on tangible equity (ROTE) compared to industry peers. In addition, regulatory changes in the US have increased the normal level of ROTE for US-based banks. The combination of a low starting valuation, demonstrated operating improvement, and an improved regulatory environment have resulted in strong share-price performance over the past twelve months.”
5. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 75
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer was bullish on the stock during the episode, as he commented:
“Take Goldman Sachs. I’ve been shouting from the rooftops that this will be the year of mergers and acquisitions, not to mention gigantic equity offerings. Goldman stock opened almost unchanged. It sells at just 17 times earnings, less than the average S&P 500 stock, even though it’s much better than they are, and it’s a huge player in M&A and issuance IPOs. That’s worth buying. The stock ended up rallying nearly 4% after it caught fire. You could have made all that today, and I think it’s still got lots more room to run. Not a trade.”
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) provides financial services, including investment banking, asset and wealth management, and banking solutions. Cramer highlighted the company stock’s stellar performance for the year during the December 19, 2025, episode, as he said:
“Meanwhile, there are plenty of IPOs and acquisitions, which have caused furious buying of the bank stocks. We saw a very positive article about Wells Fargo in the journal. Goldman Sachs up 56% for the year, now eclipse[s] most of the performance of the Magnificent Seven. There’s a reason for that. Goldman Sachs may be growing faster than almost all the stocks in tech, let alone the Magnificent Seven. And by the way, had a lot less risk, which is what really matters. These financial and consumer spending companies just keep delivering better and better and better expected numbers as expectations are incredibly low versus the monstrously high expectations for anything related to the data center.”
4. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 120
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer highlighted it as one of the stocks to buy more during a pullback. He stated:
“Look, I think this kind of trading is really ill- advised. Long-term, I believe it’s going to give you suboptimal returns. It’s very rare these days that everything is unexploited at the opening. You were simply too late as the trade was over by the opening bell. What should we be talking about instead of Venezuela?… How about the bank stocks? Coming into this year, I tried to determine what stocks are still cheap so you’d have something to pull back on if these stocks were to go down. I looked at the Charitable Trust names such as, and I also looked at JPMorgan and Citigroup, and based on their valuations, these stocks are still outrageously cheap versus the rest of the market. If they go down, you know what you can do? You can buy more of them.”
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) provides financial services, including banking, lending, payments, and investment management. In addition, the company offers investment banking, asset management, and advisory solutions.
3. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 89
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer highlighted the company’s interest in Venezuela, as he said:
“You have Chevron with its Venezuelan interest, it’s held for ages. Now, it might get more than the 100,000 barrels per day that it currently pumps from the once great Venezuelan reserves. The country only pumps about 900,000 barrels a day, and most of it goes to China. Maybe that contract can be broken. Venezuela owes so much to China, as much as $50 billion. And who knows if Maduro’s replacement will honor those debts…
Venezuela nationalized most of the oil production years ago. You’d have to privatize it again, which would prove very difficult, then there’s no money upfront for any of these projects. And most important, oil’s been going down in price, so there could be very big losses for all concerned except the refiners and Chevron. Then again, if Chevron were to double production, you know what? It would still be just a drop in the bucket for that oil giant.”
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is an integrated energy company that explores, produces, refines, and markets oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products.
2. Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 48
Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer highlighted the company’s potential while noting the risks when it comes to owning the stock. He commented:
“Everything’s going to have to be rebuilt, maybe Halliburton… Schlumberger, now SLB. All got major contracts in Iraq for a similar situation. It could happen in Venezuela. They could be considered potential winners here, too. Now, that’s the speculation. Here’s the issue. All these stocks I just mentioned zoomed from the get-go. You had to pay top dollar to get into this game today. I think the moves were well thought out in terms of the players. The stocks were right, but they were not well thought out in terms of profits. In that case, the stocks were wrong. Why? Because they opened too high, all of them. Now, we have a set of overinflated stocks, and you got to expect losses for those who came in at the high because the time frame here for all these stories to play out is years, not days. I am betting that in a few days or even as soon as tomorrow, there will be no one to sell these stocks to at a profit if you bought them when they opened or throughout the day.”
Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) provides equipment, technologies, and services used in oil and gas exploration, drilling, completion, and production.
1. Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60
Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer offered insights on. Cramer highlighted the company while discussing the opportunity for US refiners, as he stated:
“The US refiners, especially Valero, may be a big beneficiary of that oil because they still have refineries that can handle what’s known as heavy crude. That’s what Venezuela produces. Valero, Phillips 66, and Marathon Petroleum could be big winners in the US, but only if they can divert that oil to the Gulf. Who knows? Venezuela’s oil infrastructure is a mess, though.”
Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) produces and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon fuels, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, and ethanol, along with petrochemical products and co-products for animal feed. RS Investments stated the following regarding Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) in its third quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of liquid transportation fuels. The company owns 15 petroleum refineries in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and 12 ethanol plants in the U.S., and it is a joint venture partner in an operation producing renewable diesel. Given the capital intensity of the business, VLO focuses on optimizing its return on invested capital and producing strong free cash flow through a business cycle. In the third quarter, the company produced strong shareholder returns for a few reasons. First, it operated its assets exceptionally well and returned excess capital to shareholders. Second, the company has a structural advantage through U.S. natural gas which allows the company to have a lower cost base relative to many refiners in other parts of the world. Finally, recent industry consolidation and the closure of high-cost refineries in the United States have resulted in additional economic value accruing to Valero. We continue to hold VLO and believe that the shares will provide additional outperformance for our funds.”
While we acknowledge the potential of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) 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 VLO and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
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