On Monday’s episode of Mad Money, host Jim Cramer addressed the market’s reaction to President Donald Trump’s latest semiconductor deal and noted that it is not something entirely without precedent.
“Normally, when the government gets involved with business, you expect it’s going to be bad or at least bad for the business in question. In this country, we like private industry to stay private, and we want its interactions with the federal government to be as minimal as possible unless the company needs a bailout; otherwise, just forget it.”
READ ALSO: 7 Stocks Highlighted by Jim Cramer in the Lightning Round and Jim Cramer Recently Shed Light on These 13 Stocks.
However, Cramer emphasized that the current administration has not always followed that traditional approach. He noted that many people reacted strongly to President Trump’s decision, especially over the 15% equity stake tied to the Chinese semiconductor transaction. He noted that critics questioned the appropriateness of the federal government stepping directly into business affairs, arguing that it conflicted with free-market principles. Cramer mentioned that some even went so far as to label the move extortion.
Still, Cramer argued that this kind of government action is not exactly new. He reminded viewers that the United States government has taken ownership positions in private companies in the past and that Trump’s actions, while aggressive, fall in line with previous interventions.
“The bottom line: Wring your hands all you want, but this chip deal is good for the taxpayer and good for NVIDIA and AMD. If the chip makers aren’t complaining, why should we?”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 12 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on August 11. 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).
Jim Cramer Recently Discussed 12 Stocks
12. ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 106
ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. A caller asked for short-term and long-term guidance for the stock. In response, Cramer said:
“Okay, ServiceNow short term is being hurt by a call out of Melius, and that’s by Ben Reitzes, who was saying that these software as a service companies are going to be under pressure because their seat models can be hurt by AI. I think, longer term, ServiceNow has really good AI, and it would not be a stock that I would want to bet against. So, ServiceNow, longer term, I think is fine. Shorter term, I think it’s going to be under pressure.”
ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) provides cloud-based workflow solutions through its AI-powered Now Platform. The company offers tools for automation, analytics, app development, and service management. Cramer discussed the company stock in a June episode as he stated:
“Alright, ServiceNow. Well, we love ServiceNow, okay? ServiceNow is, you know, we’ve got corporate software that also is AI, okay. It’s enterprise software with AI.”
11. Root, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROOT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23
Root, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROOT) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. During the lightning round, a caller asked about the company, and Cramer replied:
“I know Root… And by the way, Lemonade is the one that I’m looking at for, when it comes to insurance. Lemonade is your play. And by the way, I think Lemonade is disrupting the industry to the point where we’re seeing lower rates, possibly. I know that because we’re seeing a lot of insurance companies talk about lower rates, including Berkshire Hathaway.”
Root, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROOT) provides auto and renters insurance through a direct-to-consumer model, mainly through its mobile app and website. The company reported its Q2 2025 results on August 6. It posted an EPS of $1.29, outperforming estimates by $0.61. The revenue of $383 million beat estimates by $44.55 million and was up 32.4% year-over-year. The company’s CEO and Co-Founder, Alexander Edward Timm, made the following comments at the conference call:
“These results are the culmination of consistent execution of our strategy, allowing us to create great experiences and great prices for our customers. Beyond financial results, we continue to advance our strategy, releasing our next-gen pricing model, continuing to rapidly grow our partnerships channel and making meaningful progress on our path to becoming national. Building AI and Machine Learning to better price insurance is the bedrock of our strategy. Our new pricing model substantially improves our risk selection, increasing customer lifetime values by 20% on average.
This impact could be even larger in some states and allows us to grow faster, collect more data, and continue to build even more predictive models.”
10. Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24
Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. When a caller expressed their intention to invest further in the stock, Cramer commented:
“Banco Bradesco, I’ll tell you, I don’t want to be connected with Brazil. It’s had a big run. Can I just substitute, if you don’t mind, and say if you want an overseas bank, I think you should be in Santander. Now, it just hit an all-time, you know, 52-week high again. Doesn’t have as good a yield, but it is crushing it, and it’s the biggest bank in Europe. I think Santander is a little bit better. I don’t want to be connected with Brazil. I really want to be connected with Spain.”
Banco Bradesco S.A. (NYSE:BBD) provides banking, insurance, investment, and financial services for individuals and businesses. The company’s products include loans, credit cards, insurance plans, pension solutions, and foreign exchange services.
9. Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 63
Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. When a viewer called looking for confirmation of Cramer’s bullish view on the company, he remarked:
“It’s at $72, it’s going to $100, okay? Now, I usually don’t talk like that except for, I talk like that with Palantir. 72 goes to 100. I say get on board, Affirm. Yes, get on board. Affirm.”
Affirm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFRM) provides a payment platform offering point-of-sale financing, merchant commerce solutions, and a consumer app that enables purchases to be paid over time. Cramer commented on the stock in an April episode. He remarked:
“Well, I think the world of Affirm, but it’s what I call an earnings stock. In other words, it doesn’t really do anything, change direction until you add the earnings. Right now, the direction is down. When we see the company report on May 8th, I think that therefore we could change direction again because I think that there’s no doubt Matt Levchin delivers good quarter after good quarter. But then in between, it trades down and you’re dealing with that. I don’t think it reverses until we get to May 8th.”
Since the above comment, the company’s stock price has gained over 100%.
8. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 119
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. When a caller inquired about the company during the lightning round, Cramer commented:
“Down here, I begin to think that we are too negative on it, but I am very upset with Lilly in the way they handled this, and I think they should come back on and talk to me because I’m running a drug trial. I would not have done what they did when I was running my drug trial. That’s a private matter, but I can tell you about it. It’s not the way they did it. I think they knew better. They shouldn’t have done it the way they did.”
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) develops and markets pharmaceuticals for diabetes, obesity, cancer, autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions, and other health needs. The company’s portfolio includes treatments that include endocrinology, oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and pain management.
7. Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 63
Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. A caller asked about DELL during the episode, and Cramer replied:
“Dell’s a buy. Dell’s a buy, and I keep hoping like maybe we get a bad CPI number, I mean, come in and buy, and I can recommend this thing hard. It hasn’t had a break. You should see all the stock that Michael Dell bought back during the downturn. Remember, we came out very strong in the 90s and a 100 and said, when it was there, we had total conviction that Michael was the real deal and he’s always been the real deal. I want to wait for a price break. I think you can get one before the quarter is reported… in August. But I will tell you, the more I do work on Dell, the more I realize he is every bit as great as he always has been. And anytime it goes down, you just buy, buy, buy.”
Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) provides integrated technology solutions, including storage systems, servers, networking products, PCs, and peripherals. In addition, the company offers related software, services, and financing options.
6. Celestica Inc. (NYSE:CLS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Celestica Inc. (NYSE:CLS) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. When a caller inquired about the company, Cramer stated:
“Oh, Celestica is red hot. I like Celestica. I like Jabil. I like Sanmina. All three of these companies are, what they do is they contract manufacturing, and in a time of tariffs, you want to be where you can build something, that you have a lower tariff, and Celestica can really help you. It is a strong buy. I’ve been trying to figure out how to recommend it on the show, and I’m so glad you called… you just gave me the chance to do so.”
Celestica Inc. (NYSE:CLS) provides manufacturing and supply chain solutions, including design, engineering, assembly, testing, logistics, and after-market services. The company serves industries such as aerospace, defense, industrial, HealthTech, communications, and enterprise markets. Cramer commented on the stock in a February episode of Mad Money. He remarked:
“It has come into its own in a way that I cannot believe it, and everyone’s piled in on it. And now, because of the fact that we got that downturn, you’re gonna get a chance to buy it. It sells at 22 times earnings. I want you to wait till it’s at 20 times earnings below the S&P and you can pull the trigger. I would probably put it at, I’d say $80.”
Since Cramer made the above comment, the stock is up by nearly 90%.
5. Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ:SYM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18
Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ:SYM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. The company was mentioned during the episode, and here’s what Mad Money’s host had to say:
“So, what do we want to make of this stock now that it’s gotten hit? I’m a bit torn on this one. I like the technology and the growth trajectory. I just wish Symbotic were a cleaner story. I’m not super worried about the concentrated Walmart business, but at the end of the day, it’s a problem when you get 87% of your sales from a single company. It’s also tough to value the stock. If we use the consensus earnings estimate for 2026, then the stock’s trading at over 150 times next year’s numbers. If you use the 2028 estimates, Symbotic looks a little more reasonable, just over 25 times that number, but that’s three years out.
If you want to use a price-to-sales multiple, Symbotic trades at about 14 times this year’s… sales, and 14 times sales is far from cheap, frankly. Now I wish the stock had more of a reason to, you know, more than triple. I don’t know why it tripled from its April lows… That bothers me. A lot of this just feels like Symbotic can’t lose in a market that loves AI or automated related, anything robotic. As long as that dynamic continues, the stock’s a winner. But I don’t like to recommend stocks for that reason. At the end of the day, I just don’t feel comfortable enough with this complicated story to stick my neck out for Symbotic.
If you’re thinking long term and if you fully understand the risks and try to understand that short position, the concentration with Walmart, you got my blessing to speculate on this one. Just keep in mind, you’re speculating. Here’s the bottom line: Symbotic’s a cool company, and if you’re comfortable speculating, then you can put a small position on here and potentially buy more on weakness. But overall, I think there are more straightforward ways to speculate this market, but it is cool, I’m not denying that.”
Symbotic Inc. (NASDAQ:SYM) develops automation technologies that improve efficiency in large warehouses and distribution centers.
4. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 125
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. When a caller inquired about it, Cramer was quick to say:
“Buy more, buy more. I’m just, I’m not buying this idea that this thing is Warren Buffett and nothing else. That doesn’t make sense. There have been a lot of people working at that company for the last couple decades who’ve been… involved, and it has done quite well. So I think the answer is [buy, buy, buy].”
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is a diversified holding company with businesses spanning insurance, rail transportation, energy, manufacturing, retail, and services. The company’s operations include products and services in sectors such as utilities, industrial goods, consumer products, automotive, and aviation. When a caller inquired about the stock in a July episode, Cramer replied:
“Well, look, Warren Buffett is tremendous, and I have to believe that he’s also tremendous in picking a successor, so I’m not nearly as concerned as the sellers. I would encourage you to hold on to this great company, and it’s not just because I love the man, it’s because I think the man is excellent, and he would pick someone who’s great, and I think he has them. So let’s hold on to Berkshire.”
3. PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. A caller asked for Cramer’s advice on the stock, and he replied:
“Alright, this is really important. I think that the PayPal CEO is going to figure this out. This is Alex Chriss, he’s very good. I do think that PayPal has a great business… You know, it’s really top in buy now, pay later, which everybody’s so crazy about. But I do think that Alex has got to start delivering, and he didn’t deliver in that last quarter. I don’t want you to give up on PayPal, and that’s not out of hope. That’s out of Alex Chriss in the core business, which I think is still strong enough to turn around.”
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) provides a digital payments platform connecting merchants and consumers. The company enables transactions, fund transfers, and withdrawals through multiple payment methods, including bank accounts, cards, cryptocurrencies, and stored value products.
2. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 78
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. A caller asked if they should hold or sell the stock, and Cramer remarked:
“I am troubled. I’m troubled by Chipotle. It hit a 52-week low today at 41… I think that Scott Boatwright should come on and we suss out what’s going on here because I don’t like the action, and I don’t like what I’m hearing. And yet I know that this is a place that I still like to eat, so I don’t want to give up on it because I still like the product. Let’s do some deep, let’s do a deep dive on this one.”
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) operates restaurants that provide burritos, bowls, quesadillas, tacos, salads, and related sides and beverages. When a caller sought Cramer’s advice on the stock in a July episode, Cramer responded:
“Okay, why to sell, right? Boatwright, he’s a good CEO. I think that a lot of people feel right now, that the price, that it’s gotten, the meals are too expensive. I think that’s nonsense. What’s really happened here is they did this 50-for-1 split, and there’s just stock sloshing around everywhere. It just hasn’t been able to put together two good quarters. When it does that, I think it can break out again. But it’s not, we don’t own it. When it comes to restaurants, I like, you know, I like Texas Roadhouse. Why? Because it’s a regional and national story. I prefer that to the stock of Chipotle.”
1. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 212
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. Cramer discussed the company’s business with China during the episode. He said:
“This morning, we learned that the US government is planning to take a 15% cut on all the AI chips that these two companies are currently selling to China. For NVIDIA, that means a 15% cut on the H20, which was their cutting-edge chip for AI a few years ago, something they were previously banned from selling in the PRC. The president then said that NVIDIA might be getting approval to sell a next-generation chip to the Chinese, something, wow, more like their current version, Blackwell, except it won’t have as much computing power. We didn’t expect that Blackwell could be allowed in China. This was a big deal that the market completely just ignored. That was a mistake. President had asked for 20% cut of revenues, but NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang bargained him down to 15%. That was good…
The cost of shareholders for the NVIDIA deal, as we told investing club members today, NVIDIA was selling about $8 billion worth of chips to China every quarter prior to the previous export restriction. A 15% haircut would equate to a little more than $1 billion per quarter or about $5 billion per year. Hey, that’s a big number for most companies, but not for NVIDIA. They were desperate to get this China business back by any means necessary…
From the perspective of big business, this is a great deal. Under the previous export controls, NVIDIA and AMD couldn’t sell these ships to China at all. If they can get that business back in exchange for a 15% cut, that’s a win for their shareholders.”
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) designs GPUs, AI platforms, cloud services, and software for gaming, professional visualization, data centers, automotive, and robotics applications.
While we acknowledge the potential of NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) 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 NVDA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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