Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, said on Friday that February will be remembered as a “heartbreaker” as he talked about what he is watching in the week ahead.
Goodbye February. You will forever be known as a heartbreaker. You demolished software, you minimized hardware, and then you took apart the king NVIDIA, and you decided that the winners were these prosaic companies with popular brands like PepsiCo… Hershey, Procter & Gamble, Colgate, or a terrific drug company J&J… AbbVie or earth movers like Caterpillar and Deere… It was the month of indecision because inflation’s running hotter, but it was also a month that should have been better thanks to falling interest rates. The rates are really getting low again. On the other hand, it was a month where it dawned on people that obscure terms like private credit could spell real trouble if something goes wrong… Will the negativity continue into March?
READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Discussed These 16 Stocks Recently and 12 Stocks Jim Cramer Commented On.
Cramer pointed out that markets may get clues over the weekend, as the president appears ready to escalate tensions with Iran. He noted that investors have not been shaken by the saber-rattling, even though oil prices have climbed 17% since the start of the year. However, he said that traders are starting to grow uneasy about how much further crude could rise.
Cramer also highlighted the Labor Department’s upcoming nonfarm payroll report on Friday. He mentioned that many continue to wait for artificial intelligence to disrupt hiring in a visible way, but that impact has not shown up in the data. He explained that it is because the companies are simply slowing hiring or freezing it altogether, rather than conducting sweeping layoffs.
Bottom line: This was a bruising week, capping off a bitter month. Let’s hope March doesn’t come in like a lion or a bear.
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 11 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on February 27. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them.
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’s Game Plan: 11 Stocks in Focus This Week
11. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer finished his gameplan with the stock, as he commented:
Now also on Thursday, very exciting, Caterpillar’s part of a fireside chat at CONEXPO. That’s that annual construction trade show that you and I probably don’t go to, but sounds like a real hoot. There’s CEO, Joe Creed, a total straight shooter, might talk about how people are using Caterpillar generators to power data centers. All very exciting. I kick myself daily for not getting into that one, and I don’t know if they’ll let me out from my job here to go attend CONEXPO. Maybe next year.
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) provides heavy machinery, engines, turbines, and rail equipment. In addition, the company offers power systems, parts, and support that keep the equipment working. During the February 24 episode, Cramer mentioned the company and said:
What else do we need so badly that we’ll pay anything for? Well, how about Caterpillar? We like their stuff. Turbines, GE Vernova. Hey, how about things that move other things? FedEx is good, any trucker. How about value-oriented companies like Walmart, Dollar General, Costco, Dollar Tree, TJX, they report tomorrow. All those companies make things and sell them cheaper than the other guys. You know what? Johnson& Johnson’s good, Colgate, Procter & Gamble, Hershey.
10. Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRVL)
Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRVL) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer was bullish on the stock ahead of the company’s earnings, as he remarked:
Marvell Tech reports on Thursday, and people are expecting big things because of its partnerships with several hyperscalers, most notably Amazon Web Services, which is selling out of its chips. The demand is so big here that it was mentioned by name in today’s, when everyone was talking about it. Marvell CEO Matt Murphy does a remarkable job. I think the stock’s a buy going into the quarter. That’s right. I’m actually recommending buying Marvell ahead of the earnings.
Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRVL) develops semiconductor solutions for data infrastructure, including system-on-a-chip designs, processors, and networking and storage products. A caller sought Cramer’s advice about the stock during the February 2 episode, and he responded:
They’re an excellent company, but they’re a derivative company. They make stuff that actually competes, the main part of the business that is a little like NVIDIA, frankly, and they’re also partnered with NVIDIA. They make special chips. They make some of the best special chips in the world, as does Broadcom, by the way. All these are on the negative side.
The long side are things like Western Digital, Sandisk, because these are not in shortage, okay? They just have enough chips. They’re not like that. So what people are doing is buying the shortage stocks and selling the ones, NVIDIA, Broadcom, and Marvell, that don’t have a shortage. It’s a really stupid way to invest, but that’s what the market’s doing right now. And I’m sorry, I wish I could reverse it myself, but I can’t because Matt Murphy is a fabulous CEO at Marvell.
9. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST)
Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer expressed how much he likes the company, as he commented:
Next, I have a special place in my heart for Costco. I stop every time I see one when I’m on the road. They’re almost always exciting and different. You need to go aisle by aisle to get the goods… Never go to Costco on a full stomach there. If you only take one thing away from the show, it’s that. All that said, we want to see how many people re-up when their Costco cards expire. That’s the key number now, the key metric. Lately, the number hasn’t progressed; in fact, it’s gone downhill. What is that about? I think it’s largely younger people who fall out of love with Costco, and they do e-commerce. They don’t know what a bargain looks like if it hit them over the head anyway. They’re silly.
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. We recently reported BoFA’s coverage on the company’s stock. You can read it here.
8. Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:OKTA)
Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:OKTA) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer was optimistic about the CEO’s performance, as he said:
Now, we’re going to listen to Okta, too, the company that protects identities. I’m sure that CEO Todd McKinnon will do a good job. I just don’t know, once again, if it matters because this market seems decided that anything Okta can do, a chatbot can do better.
Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:OKTA) provides identity management and security solutions through products that enable secure access, authentication, and governance across cloud and on-premises systems. Cramer discussed the stock during the February 6 episode, as he stated:
Beyond that, I like three beaten-down cybersecurity names, because I think security’s important enough that most companies won’t want to experiment with having AI make their own in-house replacements. First is Okta, and they didn’t initially make the list because it’s only expected to have 7% earnings growth this year. It’s kind of unusual for this good company. But not long ago, CEO Todd McKinnon told me that Okta has a huge opportunity securing thousands, if not millions, of AI agents that are being created within the enterprise, and that resonated with me, frankly. With the stock selling for just 23 times this year’s earnings, it’s probably worth nibbling at.
7. Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer highlighted the hurdles faced by the stock, as he remarked:
After the close, Broadcom reports… $1.5 trillion company makes semis and software, really doesn’t get enough attention given its size. Now, some of the chips are sold to Alphabet, which is a big buyer. That said, Broadcom needs to get new clients. Right now, it’s caught in the software decline stemming from AI fears. I think the decline’s wrong. You don’t get to $1.5 trillion for doing nothing, right? But you know what? This is one of those that’s just too hard to own right now, and I know that, and I sensed that today when we had our monthly meeting.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) supplies semiconductor devices and infrastructure software, including networking, connectivity, and storage solutions. The company’s products are used for applications in data centers, telecommunications, broadband, smartphones, industrial systems, and AI networking. During the February 3 episode, a caller asked if it was a good time to invest in the company’s stock, and Cramer replied:
Okay, I’m [of] two minds on Broadcom. It’s not a good time to get into it, but it’s a great company. So what are we going to do? We’re going to let it come down. It did bounce today. We’re going to hope that Hock Tan does a buyback. He’s got the earnings. I’m going to throw in, let me throw in NVIDIA… This company is a winner in this environment, not a loser. And I will be right. Just going to take a little while.
6. Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B)
Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer called it a “tricky one,” as he said:
Wednesday morning, we’re going to hear from a real tricky one too, a lot of tricky ones actually, Brown-Forman, this is the maker of Jack Daniel’s. I know the liquor market’s gotten tough because of pesky young people who don’t like to drink much and instead like to work out. And plus, there’s this GLP-1 issue, but why is the stock up more than 10% year to date? Could there be something going on here, something good, something that’s not good to its competitor, Diageo, which is doing really badly?
Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) produces and sells a diverse range of spirits and wines, including well-known brands like Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve.
5. CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer noted that the stock “shouldn’t have been crushed,” as he commented:
After the close, CrowdStrike reports. Now, this is an incredibly skilled outfit that protects a huge number of clients from cyber criminals. Its CEO, George Kurtz, is a maniac for stopping cyber terrorism, and they play offense all the time. CrowdStrike’s an expensive stock, though, and its price-to-earnings multiple got compressed when Anthropic, the very aggressive business-to-business AI platform, last week invaded its turf with something that could help make AI agents safer.
Look, in reality, CrowdStrike doesn’t actually compete with Anthropic. They’re like partners for heaven’s sake. So it shouldn’t have been crushed like that, but the stock hasn’t snapped back either because these days, investors simply don’t want to pay up for quality merchandise. I stand by CrowdStrike, which is why we own it for the Charitable Trust. One day soon, expertise will matter again, and the stock will go higher, but maybe not in time for CrowdStrike’s quarter.
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) provides cloud-based cybersecurity solutions. The company offers protection for endpoints, cloud systems, identities, and data.
4. Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY)
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer discussed the company in light of the rising costs of memory, as he said:
Best Buy reports. Now, this is a tricky one. We keep hearing that they’ll be punished for having too many devices that are going up in price because of the cost of memory. The cost of memory, like those little semiconductors, really seems to matter these days to even the PC business or the gaming business.
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) sells technology products, electronics, appliances, and entertainment items, along with related services like delivery, installation, and technical support. During the episode aired on January 8, a caller asked if they should still worry about the historically moderate-to-high short interest now that the stock price is actually climbing, and Cramer replied:
If I think the company is crummy, I don’t regard it as an issue. It’s going to go, they’re right to short it. If I think it has got a good dividend and has some high quality management and I see a big short position like this one with 8%, I do take a look at it and I think it’s valuable to look at because you might have a coiled spring here… Best Buy does have a 5% yield, but you need lower rates for that one to work.
3. Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT)
Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer highlighted the change in management and what the CEO should do, as he said:
Tuesday morning’s back to retail. Target’s got a new CEO, Mike Fiddelke, and I imagine we’re going to start with holding him accountable instantly, even though he just got the job. His predecessor, Brian Cornell, took matters into his own hands immediately when he became CEO and shed the money-losing Canadian division, which was just crushing Target. It was a gutsy thing, and people loved him immediately. Target’s situation is a difficult one. It lacks the scale and reach of Amazon, Walmart, or Costco. Mike’s going to have to reinvent to stay relevant, I think, and he’s gotta do it quickly.
Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is a retailer that sells clothing, beauty items, groceries, electronics, home goods, and everyday essentials. During the January 22 episode, Cramer noted that he wanted to speak to the new CEO, as he remarked:
I think that you gotta hold on to Target. Got a new CEO… Target seems to find itself in all sorts of trouble all the time. But for the first time in a long time, this stock is bouncing off its low with a 4% yield. I am going to bless you owning Target. Put some on here, and we have 300… maybe even buy another 100 if the stock gets to 100. Let’s have the new CEO on. I really want to speak to him because I’ve been a big Target fan for a very long time.
We recently discussed Bernstein’s price target revision for the stock. You check it out here.
2. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH)
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer mentioned the company during the episode, as he said:
Look out, Norwegian Cruise reports on Monday, and the activists at Elliott Management are after this company to start performing a little more like the standouts, Royal Caribbean and Viking Holdings. Elliott’s had some real wins of late: Honeywell, Southwest Air, Texas Instruments, J. M. Smucker. The latter, true shocker, given that it includes Hostess brands, a junk food that was supposed to be obliterated by the GLP1s. My suggestion for Norwegian Cruise: sell yourself to Disney, which is desperate for ships, as there’s a big ship shortage. It’s an $11 billion company, this Norwegian.
Disney could write a check like this, and sell the smaller ships, refurbish only the largest ones, and make the cruise line a much bigger part of their business instantly. That matters. Disney stock is stuck in cable TV purgatory. It could soar if it finds a way to build itself as more of a vacation paradise company. I know it would be radical, and it might take some time to retune the fleet to Disney standards. By my count, there are at least 10 Norwegian ships that could be made over as Disney ships right now. Disney has seven ships, soon to be eight. They’re more upscale than Norwegian, but they can be fixed.
I think it’s a smart move as ordering a new cruise ship takes about five years. It’s the time that’s the problem, not just the money. Now, time is right for Disney if they do it. You know why? Because the new CEO, Josh D’Amaro, well, he’s ran the cruise ship business. So I say we buy Norwegian and put the emphasis on entertainment and not linear TV, which is now… behind us. David Faber and I talk about linear TV all the time, and we know how terrible it’s doing.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) manages cruise brands that provide travel amenities, from dining and entertainment to shore excursions and hotel packages.
1. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B)
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is one of the stocks in focus this week under Jim Cramer’s game plan. Cramer started his game plan with the stock, as he said:
I’m betting the new CEO, Greg Abel, will opt for a much more low-key style than his predecessor. We’ll listen for words of wisdom, though. Maybe we’ll get some. I think he’s a business person trying to make as much money for you as he can.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) is a conglomerate that operates a diverse range of businesses, including insurance, freight rail, utilities, manufacturing, retail, and consumer products. The company also provides construction materials, aerospace and industrial components, energy services, and financial and logistics solutions. It reported its Q4 2025 earnings on February 28. The company generated a revenue of $10.2 billion, down nearly 30% year-over-year. In addition, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:BRK-B) reported net earnings per average equivalent Class A share of $13,349 and net earnings per average equivalent Class B share of $8.90. The company’s cash, cash equivalents, and short-term securities stood at $373.3 billion.
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