Jim Cramer, host of Mad Money, emphasized on Tuesday that the stock market should be viewed as a long-term path to building wealth.
“An individual stock can change your life. If there’s one overarching theme of How to Make Money in Any Market… It’s that one stock can create tremendous wealth for you, provided that you own it for the long haul. You don’t trade in and out of it, and you let your gains compound. What does that mean in the heat of the bull versus the bear that goes on every day here and the minuscule stuff that you have to think about?”
READ ALSO Jim Cramer Recently Expressed Thoughts on These 18 Stocks and Jim Cramer Shared His Recent Takes on These 15 Stocks
Cramer warned against getting distracted by seasonal trends or short-term setbacks. He argued that such thinking misses the bigger picture, since the real story comes from how businesses perform rather than market folklore or daily fluctuations. He described these distractions as sideshows, while the true measure lies in the fundamentals and operations of companies themselves.
“Here’s the bottom line: We’ve been blessed with a tremendous market here, I know that, but it won’t always be. You have to learn to trust the market and recognize that even buying on the worst days possible in the last 40 years has still worked out fine, provided you chose growth stocks with good pedigree. There may never be a stock as incredible as Nvidia, but there are amazing stocks out there that can and will change your lives for the better, but only if you let them.”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 15 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on September 30. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the second quarter of 2025, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of over 900 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 Was Focused on These 15 Stocks Recently
15. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. During the episode, Cramer shared his insights on the company stock, as he commented:
“Now, I wrote How to Make Money in Any Market over a period of two years. In the chapter on dividend stocks, I initially included Stanley Black & Decker and Best Buy as interesting prospects. Now, I think both of these are well-run companies, and they yield 4.5 and 5%, respectively. I took them out, though in the next pass, because unlike the food stocks, which really don’t even need a strong economy to make big money, Best Buy and Stanley Black & Decker actually need strong consumer growth and tariff relief.
That’s just too much of a lift for me. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these stocks I just mentioned ends up making me look bad and becomes a good stock. I know this because you see, we bought both Stanley and Best Buy for my Charitable Trust, and we were shocked to see them shoot higher immediately on word of rate cuts. We sold a big chunk of those positions up higher, but then subsequently got rid of the rest at just okay prices because we were worried. In retrospect, we got lucky, I think, on the higher prices because I believe that those rallies were simply short squeezes. We definitely aren’t going back into either of those two anytime soon.”
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) sells a wide range of consumer electronics, appliances, entertainment, and lifestyle products, along with services such as delivery, installation, repair, and technical support.
14. United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 53
United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer highlighted his worry about the company’s high dividend yield. He said:
“Pivot over to the transports, and you see UPS with the 7.76% yield. Management’s repeatedly told us their dividend’s a top priority. Iconic, trusted brand, really one of two in a nice duopoly, but I just can’t go there because that 7.76% yield is what I regard as a total red flag. I’m concerned that a real slowdown would force them to cut the dividend.”
United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) provides package delivery and logistics solutions, including express and ground shipping, international freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and specialized services. Cramer mentioned the episode during the September 17 episode and said:
“I’m even more concerned about United Parcel with its 7.8% yield. That yield’s too high, may not be sustainable even as management keeps saying otherwise. Fairly or unfairly, when you see that kind of high yield that… this stock market is saying, don’t trust the dividend.”
13. The Campbell’s Company (NASDAQ:CPB)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 43
The Campbell’s Company (NASDAQ:CPB) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer questioned the company’s yield and whether it is worth buying. He remarked:
“Conagra’s not the only food stock with an outsized yield. Campbell’s has been fighting the bears for years. Talk about solid brands… Pepperidge Farm, Cape Cod… V8, all solid. Stock yields just under 5%. Kind of tempting, but why is that yield that high? I think the only way to justify buying this one is if you’re waiting for a takeover. And at least so far, that’s not been a real good bet.”
The Campbell’s Company (NASDAQ:CPB) manufactures and sells soups, broths, sauces, juices, frozen meals, and beverages. In addition, it provides a wide range of snacks through brands like Pepperidge Farm, Goldfish, Snyder’s of Hanover, Cape Cod, and Kettle Brand. Cramer mentioned the company during a July episode and said:
“I’m not going to go against a market that’s signaling that interest rates are coming down. That’s what today did. And the high fliers have flown too high, while the companies with good dividends have gotten too low. This is just temporary. So what are you supposed to do then? First, know that the rotations are not investible, but at best, they’re tradable. Take Campbell’s or General Mills, both yield almost 5%. Both are good companies, just not as good, maybe not as good as PepsiCo, but they’re in the same league… So if people are craving chips and soda again, maybe they’ll also crave food from General Mills and Campbell’s, neither of which has the calories of Doritos or the chemicals of soda.”
12. Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38
Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer said that he he would be less concerned when the yield comes down. He stated:
“Tomorrow, Conagra Brands report. Solid brands, right? Birds Eye, Hunt’s, BOOMCHICKAPOP… household names, along with many others, plus the stock yields 7.6%. What’s not to like? Precisely what’s not to like is that 7.6% dividend yield. How can a packaged food company offer you such a great return? It’s because most investors don’t believe they can keep paying that dividend at current levels.
Now, you might be tempted to buy Conagra, it’s a solid company, but I’d rather go for it when it yields 7.6 going to 6 because then I’d be less concerned. If you buy the stock right now, you’re reaching for yield, which is something you should never do because if a dividend gets cut, stock’s going to get hammered no matter what. And let’s not forget when the yield was 5 or even 6, it didn’t stop the stock from going down, did it?”
Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) produces and markets packaged foods across grocery, frozen, and foodservice categories.
11. Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. A caller asked what Cramer thinks of the stock, and he replied:
“Something’s wrong with Sprouts. Stock keeps going down. I don’t get it. I’ll tell you what we bought today for the Charitable Trust, though. We bought Costco. We waited and waited, waited. 1078 goes down to 900. That’s the one you want to pull the trigger on.”
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM) operates as a retailer of fresh, natural, and organic foods, providing produce, meat, seafood, bakery, dairy, and deli items. The company also provides grocery staples, frozen foods, supplements, beverages, and health products. FPA Queens Road Small Cap Value Fund stated the following regarding Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM) in its second quarter 2025 investor letter:
“Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:SFM) is a supermarket chain focusing on fresh, natural and organic products. The company has strong operating margins,13 attractive returns on capital and great new store economics. Sprouts accelerated its unit growth from 12 stores a year to 33 stores in 2024 on a base of roughly 400 stores. Over the past year, SFM’s stock has performed extremely well after reporting consistently strong operating results. We have been trimming our position since the third quarter of 2024 and Sprouts now sits outside of our top 10 by weight. Although SFM’s share price has increased faster than bottom line results, we believe SFM still trades in the “range of reasonableness” for a high-quality, non-cyclical franchise that can reinvest capital at attractive rates of return.”
10. Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:REZI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 25
Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:REZI) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. A caller asked Cramer for his opinion on the use of margin and his thoughts on the stock. He commented:
“I mean, margin, I wouldn’t even use it in the game of Monopoly. You do not want to use margin in stocks. You might as well, you can’t live in a stock if they take it away. I mean, no, margin is no. Okay, now Resideo, interesting idea, interesting spinoff of Honeywell, but it’s kind of played out, it’s had a big move… No to margin.”
Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:REZI) provides comfort, energy management, safety, and security solutions, including smart home products, detection systems, and related software. Moreover, the company distributes low-voltage, security, networking, and connectivity products. During the September 11 episode, Cramer said that its stock is “interesting.” He remarked:
“Okay, so candidly, when it was first spun off, I was not a fan because I did not think rates were going to come down and really be good for the housing market. Now, that’s precisely the kind of stock that you should be buying. I’ve been saying to the club that Home Depot is the best stock to buy right here for the last 40 points. I like it, but I think Resideo is interesting even up here.”
9. Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:APLD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 28
Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:APLD) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Answering a caller’s query about the stock, Cramer said:
“Look, it’s intriguing, but it loses a lot of money. I mean, you want a company that’s in the same business, it’s NVIDIA, and they make a lot of money.”
Applied Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:APLD) provides digital infrastructure solutions, including data center hosting, GPU computing, and high-performance computing services for AI, machine learning, and crypto mining. The company also designs and manages data centers to support advanced computing applications. When a caller inquired about the stock in a June episode, Cramer replied:
“Okay, this is high-performance computing infrastructure, and high-performance computing is on fire. That company doesn’t make any money, but I think it’s a very good spec.”
Before that, Cramer made the following comments on Applied Digital Corporation’s (NASDAQ:APLD) stock when a caller inquired about it during a May episode:
“I know the company, and it’s the kind of thing, we have so many of these digital infrastructure plays. I actually just prefer if you’re going to go there, just go buy Salesforce. I’m not kidding. Go buy CRM, I would feel better that way.”
8. Arista Networks Inc (NYSE:ANET)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
Arista Networks Inc (NYSE:ANET) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. During the lightning round, a caller asked about the stock, and Cramer replied, “Jayshree Ullal is unbelievable… I gotta get her back on the show. That company is doing so well. Great call.”
Arista Networks Inc (NYSE:ANET) develops and sells data-driven networking solutions for cloud, AI, data center, and enterprise environments, built around its Extensible Operating System and related applications. Additionally, it provides cognitive network software, services, and post-contract support for industries ranging from cloud providers to finance, healthcare, and government. Cramer called the company’s stock one of his “faves” during an August episode. He commented:
“And look, this short-busting Palantir is not alone. Stocks in this market fly when they’re heavily shorted and something good, anything good, happens. Take Arista Networks, one of my faves, the data center networking play… If the stock’s been creeping up every step by step, inch by inch, the shorts were increasing their bets the whole time. They figured it was like shooting fish in a barrel.
Then Arista reported, and the numbers, they were stupendous. The last quarter was an apparition. CEO Jayshree Ullal gaffed and gutted the short sellers… The stock managed to shoot up more than 17% today. You don’t find ordinary longs pay up like this. It’s the short sellers panicking, knowing that they’re done, stick a fork in them. They have no choice but to buy, to close out their now losing positions.”
7. Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 132
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. A caller inquired about the stock, noting its recent decline and that two analysts had lowered their price targets. In response, Cramer said:
“Yeah, look, I think that this move is an overreaction. I think that periodically, people think that as the economy gets weaker, this is the one to bet against. I would tell you that when the rate, when the economy gets weaker and the Fed moves and cuts rates, this is the one you want to buy. So I think these people are being very shortsighted. I don’t think they understand who really runs this bank because Fairbank’s really unbelievable. I think the stock deserves to be at the 230 range. I would be a buyer heavily here. I think these analysts are going to miss the next big move, and they’re making a major mistake, and I’m calling them out on it.”
Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) provides banking and financial services, including credit cards, consumer and auto loans, real estate and commercial lending, and deposit accounts. The company also offers digital banking, advisory, and treasury services.
6. Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 86
Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer noted that the stock has been hit “much harder than the others,” as he remarked:
“Finally, there’s Apollo Global Management. This is the toughest one for me to swallow. It’s been hit much harder than the others. It’s been a much worse performer year to date. Apollo’s now trading below its 50 and below its 200-day moving averages at 133. Lang says it faces stiff resistance in the mid-140s and again at 155.
Meanwhile, it’s sitting right on top of the floor support at 130. I don’t want to see it go through that. Lang points out that the on-balance volume down at the bottom started heading in the right direction again a few weeks ago. Well, that would be good. Apollo can get some momentum here, he thinks the stock could perform much better, possibly rallying back to its February highs around 175. With interest rates coming down, he expects this one to improve, maybe dramatically.”
Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) is an alternative investment firm that invests across private equity, credit, real estate, infrastructure, and secondaries, managing portfolios for institutional and individual clients.
5. KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 84
KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer said he likes the stock because the rates are coming down, as he commented:
“Then there’s KKR. That’s one of the oldest private equity firms, an old-fashioned corporate raider from the 70s… After rallying nicely in the spring and early summer, KKR traded sideways in August and most of September before pulling back hard in the last couple of weeks. You can see that one’s really getting hit. In fact, the stock’s now had a deeper correction to the 200-day moving average. But Lang (Bob Lang) points out that KKR has often bounced from this level in the past.
However, even though the stock’s been hit, it’s been falling on lower and lower volume, which which suggests the sell off might be running its course… We always want to see stocks fall in lower volume if we’re going to be able to make a buying opportunity. At the same time, the MACD line and the on balance volume, now they’re not good… Lang thinks that that can change on a dime if the stock rebounds back above its 50-day moving average.
KKR is now at $129. He’s thinking 152, the next ceiling of resistance, and then maybe 170 by the end of the year. So again, you can imagine what a buying opportunity. I’m just going with what he says here… Let’s put it this way, because interest rates are coming down, I like it.”
KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) is a global investment firm focused on private equity, credit, real estate, and infrastructure, with strategies spanning buyouts, growth equity, distressed assets, and impact investing.
4. Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 72
Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer noted that if the Fed keeps cutting rates, it could push the company’s earnings higher. He said:
“Next up, how about the daily chart of Blackstone, which has always been one of my favorites, and I pounded the table on it for, I don’t know, probably the last hundred points. Lang (Bob Lang) points out that the stock’s had a similar move to Carlyle with a powerful rally over the course of the summer, although the stock’s now pulled back hard over the past couple weeks. When you look at the moving average convergence divergence line… we call that the MACD line, down at the bottom here, it does look weak…. That’s not so great. But Lang says that’s because the stock got overbought and gradually burned off that condition over time. Still, the MACD line, to me it says sell. On the other hand, though, Lang notes that Blackstone’s had good volume action of late, rallying on strong volume and pulling back on weaker volume…
This company’s got heavy exposure to real estate. Blackstone real estate is an enormous business. So, if the Fed keeps cutting rates, that’s likely to push earnings higher. Might be a good play on a rate cut. Right now, it’s a $170 stock. Lang thinks it can rally to $200 over the next few months… This is when they had a problem with their real estate division, and they came on air and said that… not to worry about it, but they didn’t say it in a flippant way, and they were dead right. It was a terrific opportunity to buy.”
Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is an alternative asset manager investing across private equity, real estate, credit, hedge fund solutions, and secondary funds. Its strategies range from buyouts and growth equity to special situations and opportunistic real estate.
3. The Carlyle Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32
The Carlyle Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CG) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer highlighted that it is one of “Lang’s favorites” and said:
“Starting with the daily chart of Carlyle Group. This is one of Lang’s (Bob Lang) favorites. The stock’s been in a strong uptrend for months now, setting a series of higher highs, okay, and higher lows, practically a textbook picture of what you want to see in the chart. Now, back in July, the stock reached steeply overbought levels, okay? And this has kind of changed things, but it never really sold off in response.
Just traded sideways, gradually became less overbought over time. Meanwhile, Lang points out that Carlyle’s got good volume trends, with the stock generally rallying on strong volume and pulling back on weaker volume. Although we had a notable exception just this last week. What else? Take a look at the on-balance volume right down here at the bottom.
This is a volume-based technical indicator that uses a running total of trading volume to predict price changes… With Carlyle, the on-balance volume looks bullish, really bullish, although it’s come down from the recent highs as the stock pulled back over the past couple weeks. If you’re waiting for a pullback, this stock was at $69 less than two weeks ago, and now it’s at $62 and change. So Lang says, time to buy. He sees Carlyle moving up to $80 in a few months and possibly $100 by next year. I like that risk-reward. I think he’s got a winner here.”
The Carlyle Group Inc. (NASDAQ:CG) is a global investment firm active across private equity, real assets, credit, and fund solutions.
2. Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 50
Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Cramer discussed the stock’s price action after its earnings. He commented:
“What happened today to the stock of Paychex, the payroll processor, human capital management company that caters to small, medium-sized businesses? After reporting what to me seemed like a real solid set of numbers this morning, the stock plunged 7% early in the trading session, largely because I think some people felt the margins were taking a hit. But as I’ve told you repeatedly, the stock tends to sell off in response to earnings, even when the numbers are good.
Maybe Wall Street got the memo because ultimately Paychex rebounded, finishing the day off nearly 1.4%. That’s a, it is a little tricky in a declining interest rate environment. There is a payroll processor issue. The company actually makes more money when rates are high, but after employers prefund their payrolls, Paychex collects interest on that money for every minute before it’s deposited in your bank account… That used to be a big issue, but the company’s gotten well beyond that. There’s a lot of other levers that it pulls.”
Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX) provides human capital management solutions for small and mid-sized businesses, including payroll processing, tax administration, HR, retirement services, benefits, and insurance. In addition, the company offers workforce management, compliance, and digital financial wellness tools.
1. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 42
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was recently focused on. Inquiring about the stock, a caller asked if it is a good time to sell or to “let it ride”. Cramer replied:
“No, no, no, no. It’s a high-quality company. Very good company. Good balance sheet, smart people. I want to own the stock. Own it. I’ll give you RTX too. I think that works in a similar fashion.”
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) develops aerospace and defense technologies, including advanced aircraft, unmanned systems, missiles, precision weapons, and missile defense solutions. The company also provides space systems, satellites, launch vehicles, command and control technologies, sensors, cyber solutions, and sustainment services. During the September 5 episode, when a caller asked for Cramer’s advice on the stock, he responded:
“I’m going to say weak hold. I don’t like the traditional hardware defense stocks, particularly if they’re up a lot, which happens to be the case of Northrop Grumman. So… a little profit-taking there. It’s a little above the market multiple.”
While we acknowledge the potential of Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) 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 NOC 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
Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge funds’ investor letters by entering your email address below.
