Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, said Monday that earnings season is what is really moving stocks right now.
We knew the airlines would have to cancel a lot of flights thanks to the blizzard on Friday. They did. So what? The stocks were therefore mostly unchanged, having discounted the storm in advance… How about the stock of Generac, a company that makes emergency generators? It fell after rallying last week and at one point today, plummeted 11 points because the storm failed to knock out as much power as expected. These were discounted events. So, it’s not that the S&P doesn’t respect everything that happened this weekend. It’s that the S&P is made up of 500 stocks, and the stocks that play the largest role in the index, the Magnificent Seven, simply don’t react much at all to the emotions of the moment.
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Cramer said the market is in earnings season, which he describes in his book How to Make Money in Any Market as the period when stocks track company fundamentals most closely. During this time, he said that prices tend to align with how a business actually performed, and it focuses on sales and earnings from the most recent quarter, expectations for the next quarter, and projections for the rest of the year.
So let me give you the bottom line: I hope one day, one day, we get away from using the futures overnight and making judgments on them and instead just have people go to Kalshi and make bets on the opening of the market. Then again, if the futures weren’t allowed to be traded, and all the money poured into Kalshi, you and I know what would happen. Very quickly, the bets would dry up. Who wants to lose money every single weekend? Leave that to those who bet on the NFL.
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 9 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on January 26. 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 Put These 9 Stocks Under the Microscope
9. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 234
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer showed bullish sentiment toward the stock during the episode, as he said:
You know what didn’t matter at all to these bears, though? I got tremendous assurance that there could be some very big Chinese sales on the horizon. Jensen’s in China. That matters. To me, he sounded sanguine. He urged that no one take the sales for granted. I think that’s terrific. I also think that the companies that keep on announcing the reliance on their own chips, Google, Amazon, and today, Microsoft, continue to be gigantic customers of NVIDIA. And the demand away from the hyperscalers is enormous and growing.
In the end, all that matters will be the numbers, but it’s nagging at me that people seem to have so little faith in NVIDIA after all that’s been accomplished here. In fact, the stock went down today despite Jensen’s reassurances of strong demand. Reassurances that have repeatedly drawn me to the stock, not repulsed me, as that seems to be the case for so many others these days. As has been the situation so many times these last two decades, I think the sellers will be wrong. Jensen’s biggest problem is how to keep customers satisfied with their small allocations. The CoreWeave deal helps address that problem. My word of advice to the sellers after talking to Jensen today: own NVIDIA, don’t trade it. That’s the best way to play NVIDIA.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) develops accelerated computing and AI platforms, GPUs for gaming and professional use, cloud services, robotics and embedded systems, and automotive technologies.
8. CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer highlighted NVIDIA’s investment in the company, as he commented:
… NVIDIA announced that it invested another $2 billion in CoreWeave, buying 22.9 million shares at $87.20 per share. It was a fantastic verification for CoreWeave, demonstrating that it’s the preferred provider of NVIDIA chips. These are hard to procure. If you’re a big hyperscaler, you’re going to get a serious allocation. If you’re not, though, you know who to go to now. You can set up with NVIDIA by getting it through CoreWeave. This morning on Squawk on the Street, we got to interview CoreWeave founder and CEO, Michael Intrator, as well as Jensen Huang himself, coming from China to talk to us about the deal…
David (co-anchor David Faber) then asked the question on many minds of many skeptics, which is, isn’t this deal just one more example of vendor financing? NVIDIA gives CoreWeave $2 billion. Then CoreWeave turns around and buys product from NVIDIA… Would Michael Intrator take the money and spend it right back as part of a lazy Susan deal? You know what? I think that’s preposterous. That would presume that Jensen’s trying to make his quarter by spending money to get business. He has more business than he knows what to do with. That would presume that Intrator needs the cash, or he couldn’t buy the chips. But Intrator’s had no problem financing his purchases. Not only that, but CoreWeave has been selling its old chips for more than they paid for them because the market’s so tight. Many thought that the chips would be worthless after five years of depreciation. That was totally wrong. So why did NVIDIA do the deal? I think it wants to show the marketplace that CoreWeave is a great partner.
CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) runs a cloud platform designed to power and scale GenAI workloads with high-performance compute, storage, networking, and managed services.
7. EquipmentShare.com Inc (NASDAQ:EQPT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: N/A
EquipmentShare.com Inc (NASDAQ:EQPT) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer highlighted the company’s growth during the episode, as he remarked:
This is not the kind of stock you get hurt. It’s the kind of stock you buy, you put away. So, after that nice start, is EquipmentShare still worth owning? I gotta tell you, at 29 and change, EquipmentShare has a market cap of around 7.5 billion. Add in a little over 2 billion in net debt, and the company has an enterprise value of just under $10 billion… Using the midpoint of last year’s preliminary EBITDA numbers, this thing has what’s called an enterprise multiple… of 14.5. Alright, that doesn’t look too expensive to me on an absolute basis, not for a fast-growing disruptor in an attractive industry. Now, full disclosure, though, EquipmentShare is expensive compared to some of the top existing players in this equipment rental space… But I’m talking about growth here. I think it’s worth paying up for EquipmentShare’s growth, which seems like it’s come up with a much better model for an established industry, and has a three-year revenue compound annual growth rate of around 36%, compared to say 12% for United Rentals… See, that’s the real difference.
As I’ve told you again and again, I’m willing to pay more for a company with outsized growth. I’d be okay putting on a small position now, then hoping the stock comes down. Maybe you can buy a little bit more on weakness. Here’s how I see it: EquipmentShare’s debut marked the first meaningful IPO of 2026, and after looking more closely into the story, call me a fan. While the stock already trades at a premium against its more established equipment rental peers, it deserves to because it’s revolutionizing this industry with its asset-light business model and its impressive software platform…
The bottom line is, I think this is a great story and a stock I want to own. More broadly, the EquipmentShare IPO was a good test case for the IPO market in 2026. I got some worries about what might happen in the corner of the market when the big deals start dropping later this year. But in the meantime, I bet you could see more solid IPOs like EquipmentShare, ones that aren’t too expensive, have good growth, and are priced right in the sweet spot for both seller and buyer.
EquipmentShare.com Inc (NASDAQ:EQPT) provides a digital platform for construction equipment rentals and sales, in addition to industrial tools and site management services. The company offers machinery parts, maintenance, and safety products.
6. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 166
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer mentioned the stock during the episode and stated:
Finally, on Thursday night, Apple reports, and this stock has been on an eight-week losing streak, although it managed to post a nice 3% gain today. Much of that pullback relates to the rising cost of memory chips because those are key components for iPhones and Mac computers. Apple’s now forced to choose between sacrifices of margin or raising prices and possibly hurting demand. I want to see what kinds of gross margins Apple’s able to generate and hear from management how they think that it could change in the future. I’m not optimistic on the memory issue, but we did get some positive commentary from an analyst about how memory margin problem is manageable, and that could be why the stock was up $7.37. First good day in ages, by the way.
I also want to hear about the durability of iPhone sales. A strong launch for the iPhone 17 was one of the main positive catalysts in the fall, helping propel Apple to its early December all-time high. Some of those strong iPhone numbers should be in the quarter that Apple reports Thursday, so that could help. Finally, for Apple, I gotta have an update on the company’s AI strategy as the long-delayed Siri reboot should finally happen this spring. A couple of weeks ago, I broke the story that Apple’s working with Google’s Gemini technology to power its Apple Foundation models. But we didn’t get any indication that Google’s paying Apple for the privilege, like they pay to be the default search engine on the iPhone. In fact, it looks like Apple could be paying them a small amount. Still, it would be good to get more details on the Gemini partnership, which should still net Apple more than $20 billion this year…
Remember, the judge that was against this monopoly payment initially reversed that. The money could still be flowing to Apple big. Now, Apple really doesn’t get enough credit for sidestepping the massive spending commitments that its fellow mega cap tech companies keep making to stay competitive in AI. You know, you don’t hear them spending tens of billions of dollars in data centers, but maybe some huge CapEx numbers from Meta and Microsoft the night before will remind investors that Apple’s the one tech titan that’s not spending like a drunken sailor. Regardless, you know my view on this: own Apple, don’t trade it.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) manufactures and sells devices such as the iPhone, Mac, iPad, along with its line-up of wearables and accessories. The devices are supported by the company’s app ecosystem, AppleCare, and cloud tools.
5. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 120
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer said that investors need more details on how the company’s autonomous taxis and robots are doing when it reports. The Mad Money host remarked:
Tesla’s the last Mag Seven company reporting on Wednesday, and it’ll be the one I’m actually paying least attention to because this is the only Mag Seven stock that we don’t own for the Charitable Trust. At the same time, Tesla doesn’t really trade on the numbers at all. If it did, the stock would be in the gutter because the electric vehicle business is in such bad shape. Instead, Tesla trades on Elon Musk’s storytelling. He’s been pitching a fantastic narrative about self-driving taxis and robots. So we need to hear more details on how these technologies are going. At the World Economic Forum, Davos last week, Musk said he expects Tesla to start selling humanoid robots by the end of 2027. But even though he’s a brilliant businessman, he has a history of being overly optimistic about his timelines. So anything that he can say to make investors feel like that data is solid will bolster the stock.
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) designs and sells electric vehicles and also develops and installs solar energy and storage systems for residential, commercial, and industrial customers. In addition, the company is working on autonomous vehicles and robots.
4. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 312
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer highlighted what he would like to see in the company’s earnings report, as he commented:
Next up, Microsoft had the same problem when it reported on the same night as Meta in late October. All their numbers for the reported quarter looked great, but after previously saying that their CapEx growth in fiscal 2026 would be lower than it was in fiscal 2025, they basically took that back and said the opposite was now true. Oh man, did they kill their stock. CapEx growth will be higher this year than it was last year, so the stock got crushed. The other issue with Microsoft’s last quarter, they projected a slight decline in the growth rate of their Azure cloud business… Even as management explained that that was purely due to supply constraints, not a decrease in demand.
Throw in the fact that Microsoft had some guilt by association when investors grew concerned about the prospects of its close partner OpenAI late last year, and you can see why Microsoft stock has just been pummeled, down 13% since the last report. So, from Microsoft, I want to see two things. First, no incremental increases to the spending outlook. Microsoft speaks somewhat vaguely on this subject, but I think investors just want to hear that the company’s CapEx budget isn’t growing like a weed. Second, an upside surprise for Azure growth would be a major positive. That might be a tall order, but it would be very encouraging if Microsoft can deliver a two-year Azure growth rate closer to 39% than they’ve done in the past two quarters, rather than the 36% number that’s expected.
These are big numbers… though. Club members know I expect some real upside here. I don’t know if they can blow out the 39 number. At the same time, we want to see some positive commentary about Microsoft’s Copilot AI functionality for Windows, as investors seem to be losing faith in this product, treating it like the next Clippy. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt for the company to make clear that its core Windows Enterprise software suite is not vulnerable at all to the rise of generative AI platforms that can help software engineers build their own applications… It would inspire a lot of confidence if Microsoft would tell you that they do have a moat against that.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) develops software, hardware, and cloud-based solutions. The company provides products like Windows, Azure, Office, LinkedIn, and Xbox.
3. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 273
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer said that the company “needs a new catalyst,” as he remarked:
Why don’t we start with Meta Platforms, which saw its stock plunge 11% last time it reported in late October, and it’s now down almost 16% from its August highs. At these levels, Meta is selling for less than 23 times this year’s earnings estimates, making it look pretty darn cheap. But if the stock’s going to turn around, it needs a new catalyst. This time… I expect a great set of numbers from Meta, especially from the core advertising business. But these guys reported strong numbers last time, too, and it didn’t matter because Wall Street only cared that they raised their capital expenditure forecast to fund a massive AI data center build-out.
CFO Susan Li said 2026 CapEx growth would be even more significant than what we saw in 2025, and that just crushed the stock. So when Meta reports on Wednesday, the big question is how much money are we talking about here? If we get a gigantic…capital expenditure
projection, it’s gotta be tough for Meta to rally. But if we get not-terrible guidance on the CapEx front, then maybe the stock could break out of its downtrend. Beyond the spending projections, it sure would be helpful if Meta could explain exactly what it’s getting out of its AI-related investments, of which there are billions of dollars worth.
Now, they’ve made the case that area’s help the core advertising business, and it’s a compelling case, but without a popular generative AI platform or cloud infrastructure division, they don’t have it. The other guys do. It’s harder for people to understand how these investments will pay off for Meta. For instance, can the Meta Ray-Bans, for example, ever become a needle-moving business line? I love mine, but there are a lot of competitive ways to get AI data, including your iPhone.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) develops technologies and applications that connect people through social networking and messaging. The company’s portfolio includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Threads, and products in virtual and augmented reality.
2. Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer highlighted why he thinks the stock might be overvalued. He commented:
Gold itself doesn’t impact much more than the cost of jewelry. Silver’s way up, and that has some industrial uses, but not anything that will result in a material hit to any major company’s earnings. Now, look, both may hurt the earnings of Signet Jewelers, owner of Kay, Zales, and Jared. We have them all the time. Signet’s stock might be too high at 9 times earnings.
Signet Jewelers Limited (NYSE:SIG) is a diamond retailer that sells jewelry through a variety of store brands, mall-based kiosks, and online platforms. The company’s main brands include Kay, Zales, Jared, Peoples, Rocksbox, Banter by Piercing Pagoda, Diamonds Direct, James Allen, and Blue Nile. During the September 29, 2025, episode, a caller highlighted their short bet on the stock and sought Cramer’s advice. He replied:
Okay, I typically don’t advise short sellers on this show. I’m, I favor the long side. I admit that because our viewers favor the long side, but Signet, you know, 10 times earnings with a terrific guy, Jim Symancyk, who is doing a terrific job. The numbers are good, so I think you need a better, I think you need a better case to stay short this one. I don’t have one.
1. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 87
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer put under the microscope. Cramer highlighted the impact of the dollar’s value on the stock, as he remarked:
Some may fret about a weak dollar, but if you did, that would be kind of like a heads-I-win-tails-you-lose argument. We have many international companies that are located in the US. For years, they’ve been smoked by a strong dollar. Hurts them competitively. Now, the opposite will occur. Procter & Gamble, with almost half of its sales overseas, could be a huge winner when it reports again next quarter. Maybe that’s why it went up gigantically after that not-so-hot quarter last week.
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) provides branded consumer goods across beauty, grooming, health care, home care, and family care. The company sells its products through renowned names such as Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Crest, Olay, and Febreze. Cramer mentioned the stock during the January 22 episode and stated:
… I think most importantly, I liked this new Procter management, including the new CEO, Shailesh Jejurikar. And I gotta tell you, I was blown away by some of the things that he said about what happened in this very quarter and his full investment in the business… Look, it really helps that it, I think Procter’s pulling away from its competitors while putting the company in a position to take market share so they can do even better when the industry bounces back… So let me give you the bottom line here: Even though Procter’s quarter was not so hot, this was a stock that most people on Wall Street had given up on. So even mediocre results were enough to send the stock flying today. And look, when a stock rallies on a seemingly disappointing quarter, it’s a textbook tell that it’s got a lot more room to run. I’m glad we bought this one ahead for the Charitable Trust…
We picked the stock of Procter & Gamble for the trust because it has a long history of innovation, improvement, and execution. We knew it had a solid dividend, one of the best dividends in the entire market, serves as a trampoline if the stock goes low enough. Before the quarter’s release, Procter had been adamant that they were going to miss the numbers. It was very well telegraphed. The disappointment occurred beforehand… So when we saw the numbers today, it didn’t matter. Best of all, Procter has a new CEO. This would be his inaugural quarter, so he didn’t own the previous CEO’s mistakes.
While we acknowledge the potential of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) 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 PG and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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