On Friday, Mad Money host Jim Cramer took a close look at what he called one of the most important stretches of the earnings season, which came alongside major economic developments.
“We made it. Yep, we got through another stretch without the White House upending the whole market, which therefore led to the second-best week of the year.”
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Still, Cramer warned that the real challenge lies ahead, as the market now enters another week where important earnings are reported. He expressed concern that the reprieve from political interference may be short-lived, just as investors need to stay focused on corporate performance. Cramer pointed out that clarity on President Trump’s influence won’t be long in coming. With the president in Europe for a funeral, Cramer speculated he may still pursue trade talks behind the scenes.
“But there’s no doubt that he’s going to probably try to nail down some trade deals this weekend, maybe with emissaries from Japan and South Korea. Hey bears, be aware, if any country’s willing to compromise with Trump, the rest of the world might fall in line. And honestly, if we can’t win over Japan and South Korea, two countries where we have a ton of military bases, well, we might as well throw in the towel.”
Looking ahead to the end of the week, Cramer emphasized the significance of Friday’s upcoming non-farm payroll report from the Labor Department. The prior week’s market strength, he noted, was partially due to President Trump taking a break from criticizing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Cramer hoped that the restraint would last, though he remained skeptical, calling it a “temporary stay of execution.” The data on employment could shape the Fed’s next move, he explained.
Cramer believes that a weaker jobs number might help Powell justify a rate cut in the near future. He added that the Fed is in a tough spot: “It’s mighty hard to cut rates when you’re raising the price of everything imported by a pretty hefty sum.” The central bank, he said, must balance economic pressure from tariffs with the need to act quickly if unemployment rises sharply. While he doubts the Fed can afford to make a move right now, he stressed that they must be ready to cut rates at the next meeting if job losses spike.
“Here’s the bottom line: This is a really consequential week ahead. We’re about to get into the weeds with tariffs, and we have to sort out what’s real and what’s just mandated by the president. Most important, we need to see some trade deals, please. With them, the market can absorb some earnings disappointments, but without them… things could get really ugly very quickly after the run up we just had.”
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 April 25. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the fourth quarter of 2024, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of over 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’s Game Plan for This Week: 16 Stocks in Focus
16. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
Cramer predicted that Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) might not have anything good to report, as he remarked:
“Friday’s important, not just because we have Exxon and Chevron. Hey, by the way, the two largest oil companies, and I doubt that they’ll really… have anything good to say because look at the price of oil.”
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) operates in oil and gas through exploration, production, refining, and transportation. The company also makes petrochemicals and develops renewable fuels. TCW Relative Value Large Cap Fund stated the following regarding the company in its Q3 2024 investor letter:
“Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), headquartered in San Ramon, CA, is an integrated energy company. At elimination, the stock had a $273 billion market capitalization and met all five valuation factors, including a robust 4.4% dividend yield. Chevron’s planned acquisition of Hess† would yield a strong restructuring catalyst through elimination of duplicate corporate costs and a new markets catalyst through Hess’ 30% interest in the Stabroek oilfield off Guyana; these blocks have a very low cost of supply and decades of reserves that would support strong free cash flow. While Chevron recently received Hart[1]Scott-Rodino (HSR) clearance to acquire the company, the closure timing has extended from Q4 2024 to possibly to Q2 2025 as Chevron is engaged in arbitration with peers ExxonMobil (XOM; 2.47%**) and Chinese state-owned CNOON over rights of first refusal (ROFR) for Hess’ interest in Stabroek. As Chevron’s expected arbitration resolution timeline has slipped, we believe that ExxonMobil and CNOOC’s ROFR case may have more merit than expected, thus putting the entire Hess acquisition at risk. Given an increasingly reasonable outcome that Chevron might abandon the Hess acquisition altogether, we eliminated the position in the stock.”
15. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 104
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) was mentioned during the episode, and here’s what Mad Money’s host had to say:
“Friday’s important, not just because we have Exxon and Chevron. Hey, by the way, the two largest oil companies, and I doubt that they’ll really… have anything good to say because look at the price of oil.”
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) explores, produces, refines, and sells oil, natural gas, petrochemicals, and specialty products. The company is also investing in lower-emission technologies, including carbon capture, hydrogen, and lithium. Over the past year, XOM stock has gone down more than 8%. Additionally, it is worth noting that when Cramer was asked about the company in February, he commented:
“You know, look, frankly, I’d rather see you in Chevron if you could do that… but I, no, we wanna stay away from Exxon… It’s just, it’s, it’s not where the action is.”
14. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 339
While highlighting Amazon.com, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) tariff problems, Cramer stated:
“After the close, Apple and Amazon report… As for Amazon, okay, listen up, we’ve been buying this one for the Charitable Trust… I believe the retail world’s undergoing this incredible consolidation towards the big three, and the big three are Costco, Walmart, and Amazon. I think all three can deliver on their promises. I’m not so sure about anybody else, frankly.
Of course, Amazon’s got major tariff problems with China, so we need to see what they have to say about that. But I like what I’ve been hearing about the retail business ex China. I hope that’s good enough. One thing we know for sure, few places are as strong for advertising as Amazon because it’s right at that point of contact. I’m also very bullish on Amazon’s international business. Nobody else is. I think it’s finally beginning to generate some really serious numbers.”
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) provides services in e-commerce, paid subscriptions, and digital advertising.
13. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 166
Cramer mentioned that he expects Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) CEO to lay out a trade strategy, as he said:
“After the close, Apple and Amazon report. See, look at these two days, Meta and Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon. And no matter what we hear from Apple, I bet you there’ll be a wall of critics ready to pronounce that these are Apple’s last good results ahead of the tariffs.
They might even be right. We own Apple for the trust, and we are not too concerned. Why? Because I believe these guys can work their way out of any abyss that is China. It’s just going to take some time and, of course, some money. I’m counting on CEO Tim Cook to spell out a trade strategy that includes the role of India in making phones. The export business has never been trickier, but there aren’t many people in this world who can handle it as deftly as Cook.”
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) designs and sells devices like smartphones, computers, tablets, wearables, and related accessories. The company runs digital services, offers paid subscriptions such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade, and operates platforms including the App Store and Apple Pay.
12. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67
According to Cramer, McDonald’s Corporation’s (NYSE:MCD) “cheaper offerings” might have attracted customers.
“Lots of restaurant stocks have fallen on hard times because of their price points. They just charge too darn much, but McDonald’s rolled out some very cheap offerings, or I say cheaper offerings. I like them, and I think the customers have gravitated to the golden arches. We’re going to find out for sure on Thursday morning.”
McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) runs and franchises restaurants under its brand, and it offers a wide range of food and drinks, including burgers, chicken items, sides, desserts, and beverages, with additional items featured through limited-time promotions. Last week on Squawk on the Street, Cramer said:
“Okay, first of all, McDonald’s stock has done well this year. . .very rarely do you get this, but BTIG has this note that I just absolutely love. That said, our recent McDonald’s franchise checks conveyed a sharp inflection in April sales trends. More optimistic tone from operators. Minecraft promo helping to regain some big McDonald’s momentum. This is it David. This is what you’re looking for. You’re looking for a story, iron clad, no tariff, numbers look up, numbers are too low. Stock chart is good. There you go. I give you McDonald’s probably be up eight today.”
11. CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 74
Discussing the various changes over at CVS Health Corporation (NYSE:CVS), Cramer said:
“Now we’ve got some healthcare, some issues to talk about on Thursday, that’s right, and these are anything but common steady healthcare companies…. There’s CVS, which is under new management, put up some really good numbers, and it’s just, that’s in health insurance, but also it’s core drugstore business, which they’ve closed, all the under performers… As for CVS, the health insurers have taken it on the chin of late. UnitedHealth and Centene both missed expectations. I bet Aetna sticks it.”
CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) provides a range of healthcare services, including insurance, pharmacy management, and pharmaceutical products. The company also offers consulting services to healthcare organizations.
10. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 115
Cramer commented on Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), which was part of his game plan for this week, as he said:
“Now we’ve got some healthcare, some issues to talk about on Thursday, that’s right, and these are anything but common, steady healthcare companies. We’ve got Eli Lilly that’s riding the wave of GLP-1 success…. Lilly’s last report laid an egg. They did it right on our show, unfortunately. I’m counting on this one being better, which is why we continue to own it for the Charitable Trust.”
Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) specializes in researching, developing, and marketing a variety of pharmaceutical products, including treatments for diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, pain, and migraines. RiverPark Advisors stated the following regarding the company in its Q4 2024 investor letter:
“Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY): LLY was a top detractor in the fourth quarter following a rare revenue miss in the company’s 3Q update. The greater than $1 billion miss in the tirzepatide complex (Mounjaro/Zepbound) was caused by a combination of factors, including wholesaler stocking patterns (2Q inventory build, 3Q sell through), refrigerated supply chain constraints, timing of the company’s direct-to-consumer efforts, and the pace of international market launches. We believe the diabetes/obesity/weight-loss market is enormous and that current GLP-1 drugs, though no longer supply constrained, are greatly in demand. We are confident that LLY’s recent sales shortfall was supply chain-related and that the company’s tirzepatide franchise growth will soon reaccelerate.
LLY discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products. The company manufactures and distributes products through facilities in the United States and seven other countries and sells into 110 countries. The company has a broad and deep portfolio of products including a focus on diabetes, oncology, immunology and neuroscience. More recently, LLY’s GLP-1 diabetes drug Mounjaro and obesity drug Zepbound, have delivered strong revenue growth, and investors are optimistic that the company’s recently approved Alzheimer drug, Kisunla, will add to that growth.
LLY has a stable portfolio of franchise products, which enables it to invest heavily in its product pipeline. We believe that this combination of franchise and growth products will drive high teens revenue growth and a four-fold increase in free cash flow in the next five years.”
9. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 317
Discussing how Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) needs to show that its different businesses are doing well, Cramer said:
“After the close, alright, here we go, Meta Platforms and Microsoft, both important, and the Street’s really split on these two… Microsoft’s disappointed investors three straight times, three quarters in a row, mostly by issuing soft outlooks after delivering solid results. Now I think we need to see this Copilot gain some serious traction while data center spending stays strong, but not too strong. We don’t want them to spend even more than they thought, and Azure, its cloud business, gets back into an accelerated group. That might be a tall order, but I think this company knows the penalty will be severe to its price to earnings multiple, the PE multiple, if it misses a year’s worth of earnings reports.”
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) creates software, services, devices, and solutions that include productivity tools, cloud platforms, business applications, gaming products, and other offerings for both consumers and organizations.
8. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 262
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) was part of Cramer’s game plan, and he commented:
“After the close, alright, here we go, Meta Platforms and Microsoft, both important, and the Street’s really split on these two. So many are worried about Meta’s advertising business, but I think Alphabet’s incredibly robust ad business should put those fears to rest.”
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) develops products that support global communication through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The company also produces hardware, software, and content for augmented and virtual reality. In early April, Cramer said:
“Meta, 27 points, it’s up. Now, but then you look at it, you say, oh, wait a second. Meta was at 740, now it’s 540. Let’s keep buying Meta. And that’s what’s going on in people’s heads. Down too much from the high. [talking about advertising going down in case of a recession] So I would say at 500, that has the advertising going down. This is priced in. Costs of building; priced, because that cost comes down.”
7. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Discussing Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), Cramer mentioned that he would be keeping an eye on how much money is left in Joe Biden’s infrastructure program.
“Wednesday kicks off with Caterpillar, which should give us a sense of how much money’s being left, maybe in Joe Biden’s infrastructure package. They technically only spent about 40% of it last fall. But Caterpillar’s certainly not trading like a stock that has plenty of federal construction projects ahead of it, does it? Hopefully, we’ll find out.”
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) manufactures construction and mining equipment, industrial engines, and diesel-electric locomotives. The company also provides financial services, manages parts distribution, handles logistics, and creates technology-driven solutions.
6. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 84
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) was mentioned as part of Cramer’s game plan for this week as he said:
“Tuesday night, okay, I’m betting that Brian Niccol will spell out his strategy for Starbucks, both domestic and international…. The stock first shooting up 30 points on Niccol’s appointment and then giving almost all of it back when the numbers didn’t turn around immediately and the market got ugly. I always thought that a quick breakout was a ridiculous assumption, but now the rubber’s going to hit the road, and I still don’t see a breakout quarter, but we’re going to hold it nonetheless.”
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is a famous global brand that roasts, sells, and markets coffee. It provides a variety of beverages, coffee beans, and food items at its locations.
5. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 101
Cramer expressed enthusiasm about Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) and compared it to Netflix.
“If you want to know my favorite trade for the week, it’s going to be Spotify. Now, this has this juicy subscription business. People don’t focus on this company a lot. Lots of people ignore it, dismissing it as a radio station without commercials. But I think Spotify’s all things entertainment, a competitor to Netflix for your time.”
Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) provides subscription-based audio streaming, allowing users to access a broad range of music and podcasts. JDP Capital Management stated the following regarding Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) in its Q1 2025 investor letter:
“Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) – Spotify remains our largest position. In the fourth quarter the company’s free cash flow was up 123% over last year resulting from strong operating leverage that the market had not priced in the valuation. Spotify ended 2024 with 675 million subscribers between paid and ad supported. Spotify and YouTube are the primary beneficiaries of the mega trend shift from linear media to podcasting.
One area of disappointment, and an area for possible concern, is the company’s challenges to grow advertising revenue and profitability. Advetising is an important component to the next leg of the company’s profitability inflection and ability to achieve management’s goal of €20 billion in future operating profit. The market has thus far been willing to ignore lagging advertising revenue because of continued growth in paid subscriptions and ability to sustain price hikes. In 2024 advertising only grew 7% representing about 12% of total revenue. Spotify is still struggling with targeting and performance advertising metrics that can compete with other scaled players like YouTube or Instagram. Although not yet alarming to the investment thesis, the lack of advertising revenue growth is something we are watching closely as the economy softens. The stock was up about 20% in the first quarter.”
4. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
Cramer highlighted that The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is the only company that is “hanging in” in the consumer products group, as he said:
“On the other side of the economic spectrum, we have Coca-Cola. It’ll be interesting to see if Coca-Cola can maintain its momentum. It’s the only stock in the consumer products group that I follow that’s still hanging in there after a brutal week for the cohort. Did you see PepsiCo? Holy cow.”
Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) manufactures a variety of nonalcoholic beverages, including soft drinks, water, tea, juice, and plant-based options. It also sells beverage concentrates and syrups through retail outlets. On March 31, during Squawk on the Street’s episode, Cramer remarked:
“In terms of shorting, like if you wanna short, do you short Coca-Cola? No, cause Coca-Cola in 2000, after the NASDAQ broke, was really a terrific stock to own…. Look at that April 14th to April 17th 2000 period when we had this dramatic switch. Which was rather incredible, which was the fastest I’ve seen where Coca-Cola went from being a loser to a winner. I think we’re there. Coca-Cola’s having a good quarter.”
3. United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 59
Coming to United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) as part of his game plan for this week, Cramer stated:
“Next, I think UPS could give us the lay of the land in terms of tariffs pulling demand forward, you keep hearing that term on our show, right, and causing international disruption. Let’s hope the news doesn’t disrupt that dividend, which currently gives you a 6.7% outsized yield.”
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) offers services in transportation, distribution, contract logistics, ocean and air freight, customs brokerage, and insurance. When a caller asked about the company last week, Cramer said:
“Look, I think that, you know, rug burn aside… I do think that you’re going to run into a little trouble because world trade is not what we think it is. And look, I really like FedEx, and I’m not just sitting here pounding the table on FedEx either, so we gotta be careful…”
2. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 68
Discussing General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), Cramer mentioned that tariffs will have an impact on the price of vehicles, though it is not clear how much.
“Tuesday morning, we get results from another company at the epicenter of Trump’s tariffs, and that’s General Motors. Now we’re truly in crunch time for tariffs. It’s not clear how much they’ll add to the price of every new vehicle, but we know the stickers could be shocking. CEO Mary Barra always tells the story straight.”
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) builds and sells a range of vehicles and auto parts. The company also provides software-based services and subscription offerings. Its lineup includes Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Baojun, and Wuling.
1. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 51
Starting his game plan with Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE), Cramer said:
“So many people are worried about a tariff-induced recession. Steel giant Nucor reports on Monday, and they’re really at the crossroads of both. This domestic steel company, the best there is in the world, it’s been hammered by economic weakness, but they also directly benefit from the tariffs as they should. The world dumps steel on USA. It’s been known for years. And if we didn’t do anything about it, if we didn’t protect our steel companies, we would have no steel, nothing would be made in this country. So let’s hear what they have to say.”
Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) produces and sells different types of steel products to customers throughout North America. The company is also involved in producing and processing raw materials used in steelmaking and other industrial applications.
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