On Monday, April 14th, Jim Cramer opened the Mad Money episode with a striking observation on the dramatic change in market sentiment and what is going on in the markets right now, saying:
“If you told me this is where the market was headed two or three months ago, I would have thought you were insane, even crazier than I am. This radical transition over the past few weeks has just been frankly unfathomable. We’re now buying stocks we hated and we’re despising, and guess what we are now selling short the stocks that we used to worship. And it’s all happening on the fly. […] You can’t tell what’s underneath though but that makes it much easier for those real seekers who want to surf the Trump ‘stock wave’.”
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Cramer noted that the market’s rotation under the Trump administration has been profound, pushing investors to abandon old favorites in favor of new, domestically focused winners:
“We have to think about how to profit from this new market if it means making some pretty sharp changes to your portfolio and believe me this is something I think about every day for the club. […] See something happened this weekend that crystallized things for me. The Wall Street Journal put together this incredible chart of the stocks that are winning so far under the reign of Trump. Oh my! The extraordinary lack of economic sensitivity, the amazing America first nature of the businesses, the pure service nature of so many of these companies, they couldn’t be less like what we liked under President Biden. Rip up the old playbook; there’s a new stock sheriff in town so here’s what I did: I looked at the winners so far this year from the chart and thought about which ones were good to go, and which ones maybe needed to be demoted for a better substitute because perhaps they moved too far.”
The Mad Money host then outlined the common traits of the strongest performers and offered viewers a curated group of stocks he believes are worth buying now, saying:
“Look I’ve got no illusions after going over these companies I see several things the winners have in common. They don’t have a lot of competition, they’re largely domestic, they don’t need a strong economy, you can’t tariff them out of existence, they have scale, and most have fat margins […] Take advantage of this list. We will have down days. Keep the list handy, I’ll refer to it many times. It’s the right place to be, even in a recession, which again is a possibility given how stuck much of the economy really is right now.”
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 14. 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 List of 16 Stocks to Buy Right Now
16. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 150
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) is the largest health insurance company in the U.S., offering a range of healthcare plans and services through its UnitedHealthcare and Optum segments. Healthcare insurance companies were the first companies in Cramer’s “buy” list, with UnitedHealth being one of his all-time favorites. He views UnitedHealth Group as particularly well-positioned to benefit from the Trump administration’s policies, especially given its scale and lack of regulatory headwinds. Here’s what he said:
“I want to begin with the obvious the health insurance companies and the drug middlemen. UnitedHealth reports this week, and it was down today. That’s a bit of a rarity in itself, and to me that makes for a terrific buying opportunity. I think the largest health insurer can do whatever it wants under this administration. Not making a judgment just telling you as it is.”
Jim Cramer is a big fan of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), as evident by his most recent comments during his appearance on Squawk on the Street. He voiced how high his expectations are for the stock’s upcoming earnings:
“Yeah, it’s a better than expected. It’s a much better than expected quarter, and I’m raising numbers. Well, that’s all they ever do. I’ve never seen them not. Maybe one quarter in the last 10 years. It’s an amazing company. I remember I was long it in 1989 and made my whole year. This thing was just a juggernaut from day one. Remember when they bought everybody too? Remember the consolidation? That was a really good thing for the industry. There’s an opportunity here.”
15. Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) is a major player in the managed care space, providing Medicaid and Medicare plans to low-income individuals and families across the United States. In the context of this new “America First” market regime, Cramer named Centene as his second standout health coverage stock that aligns well with the administration’s domestic focus. Here are his thoughts:
“Next, I’ve been a fan of healthcare cover Centene for ages, CNC. Ever since the late Michael Neidorff used to come on the show to explain to me how his company could offer quality healthcare to a state’s populace, because it controls costs and knew how to treat certain illnesses and injuries in an efficient way. I like Centene, unless Congress really passes Medicaid cuts like the House Republicans are pushing for because running Medicaid plans is a sizable part of their business at Centene. They do it really well.”
14. McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 78
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) is one of the largest pharmaceutical distributors in the U.S., supplying both branded and generic drugs along with medical technology and surgical supplies. Cramer grouped McKesson with other healthcare “middlemen” that thrive in the current environment due to their low-risk, high-margin business models. Here’s what he said:
“Now how about these middlemen? I think you can buy any one of them. I like Senora and I like McKesson. They take almost no risk and make fortunes in a consistent way. Mckesson is one of the largest distributors of both branded and generic drugs. The company isn’t a pure play though it also develops medical record systems and provide surgical supplies too.”
Jim Cramer was equally bullish just a few days ago, when he called McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) a money machine, saying:
“I always talk to you about the drug middlemen. Companies like McKesson and Cencora, these are two money machines no matter what. Even as I believe we should be able to automate and digitize these businesses out of existence, they’re the kings and they’re the must-owns in this environment.”
13. Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 63
Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) is a major healthcare services and products company, offering pharmaceutical distribution, medical products, and specialty pharma services. Cramer believes Cardinal Health stands to benefit from policy changes under the Trump administration, especially if there are disruptions to the pharmaceutical supply chain. Here are his thoughts:
“I’d include Cardinal Health which has all that and also offers specialty pharma and healthcare services. I bet all three of these companies will see business boom if the Trump administration messes with the pharma supply chain which is what I’m seeing them do after the close of today’s trading.”
Last Friday, Jim Cramer recommended Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH), saying:
“If you want one that’s doing a little bit more than just distribution, I want you to consider Cardinal Health. We’ve had them on a couple times. They’re really smart guys.”
12. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64
Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) builds software platforms for big data analytics, primarily serving government and defense clients. As geopolitical tensions with China rise, Cramer believes the defense sector is back in play, and Palantir stands out due to its cult-like following and unique position in the defense-tech ecosystem. Here’s what he said:
“Next, defense is working again! I don’t know, it shouldn’t be given the pullback from Ukraine, right? But I sense maybe we’re embarking on a real build up as tensions heat up with China. I like the permanently favoured Palantir; arguably the number one meme stock of all time, with the CEO who whips people into a frenzy.”
Jim Cramer jokingly called Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR) a meme stock in a recent appearance on the Squawk on the Street but he still urges against investors shorting the stock. Here’s what he said:
“I agree, and I noticed that “Planter”, as one of my friends called it the other day, I’m shorting Planter because I think Planter, and I’m thinking like Planter, like Planter fasciitis? Palantir, they were trying to say. Palantir is just moving up and moving up. It’s back. It’s making its move. Alex Karp, any minute now, is going to come out and tell us how he’s great and you’re not.”
11. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 49
L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) is a leading defense contractor specializing in advanced communications and surveillance systems. Speaking of defence stocks that are working again, Jim Cramer highlighted L3Harris as one of only two defense names worth owning. Here are his remarks:
“L3Harris works as a combination of defence technology and communications play. You want tech? L3Harris is the one to own i’m loathed to recommend the others because I think the administration wants to focus on cyber warfare and targeted war fighting those two are the best.
10. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) is a leading supplier of construction aggregates and heavy building materials used in infrastructure and road construction projects. Cramer highlighted the surge in road building activity as a major theme benefiting domestic companies like Martin Marietta, especially as Biden’s long-delayed infrastructure spending finally gains traction. Here’s his analysis:
“For some reason, road building is a big theme among the winners and that means you want to own Martin Marietta Materials. […]
[Talking about each company’s strengths] Martin Maretta’s exposure to faster growth areas, while WM does well when more community roads are built. […]
Like the other stocks on this list, you have to love how domestic these companies are i’m thinking the road building plays are working as the money from all of Biden’s infrastructure program is finally being put to work better late than never although I’m sure there are Biden people who question that flip judgment. It’s working right here right now and I think it’s going to continue to do so even if interest rates edge higher because of the housing shortage I would own any of these.”
9. Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67
Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE:WM) provides environmental and waste disposal services, and benefits from increased construction activity due to its role in servicing community infrastructure projects. Cramer mentioned WM in the same breath as Martin Marietta, noting its gains from the infrastructure buildout and road construction, especially in domestic markets. Here’s what he said:
“For some reason, road building is a big theme among the winners and that means you want to own Martin Marietta Materials. […] as well as WM, that’s the artist formerly known as Waste Management which gets a big boost from construction. […]
[Talking about each company’s strengths] Martin Marietta’s exposure to faster growth areas, while WM does well when more community roads are built. […]
Like the other stocks on this list, you have to love how domestic these companies are i’m thinking the road building plays are working as the money from all of Biden’s infrastructure program is finally being put to work better late than never although I’m sure there are Biden people who question that flip judgment. It’s working right here right now and I think it’s going to continue to do so even if interest rates edge higher because of the housing shortage I would own any of these.”
8. CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) provides cloud-native endpoint protection and cybersecurity services to businesses worldwide. Cramer emphasized that while most tech stocks are out of favor, cybersecurity remains a winning niche, calling it a critical “anti-China” play. He provided a very bullish outlook on CrowdStrike, saying:
“Have you seen the stock of CrowdStrike? This thing is a horse. One year after it had a computer glitch – not a hack – that shut down millions of computers across the globe, it’s coming back incredibly strong. CEO George Kurtz hates to lose and his worldwide apology tour to agrieve customers saved a lot of business and may even bring about more business than he had. You can bet that the second half of the year is going to be very strong for this stock. Why do I say that? Because Kurtz told us that when he was here last.
During another Mad Money show from April, Jim Cramer commented on CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) as he said:
“Finally, they’re a little pricey but I want to own some cybersecurity companies, and the trust owns two of them because they can’t really be tariffed and they have no natural enemies, including states that have sided against us in the trade war. For the cybersecurity firms, countries with state-sponsored hackers like China, they are an annuity stream. We have not one, but two for the trust, as I mentioned, Palo Alto, PANW, and CrowdStrike, CRWD. And I’ve got to tell you, either one is just terrific. Just terrific.”
7. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 83
Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) is a global leader in cybersecurity solutions, including firewall protection and threat detection tools for enterprise networks. Cramer named it alongside CrowdStrike as a core holding in his charitable trust, stressing that the cybersecurity space still has massive room for growth. Here’s what he said:
“I happen to like Palo Alto Networks too because there’s just so much work to do in this space. It’s why we own both CrowdStrike and Palo Alto for the charitable trust and I never violate my diversification rules. These two stocks are too good!”
Like CrowdStrike, Jim Cramer owns both of the cybersecurity stocks for his charitable trust. Here are his previous comments on Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW):
“Finally, they’re a little pricey but I want to own some cybersecurity companies, and the trust owns two of them because they can’t really be tariffed and they have no natural enemies, including states that have sided against us in the trade war. For the cybersecurity firms, countries with state-sponsored hackers like China, they are an annuity stream. We have not one, but two for the trust, as I mentioned, Palo Alto, PANW, and CrowdStrike, CRWD. And I’ve got to tell you, either one is just terrific. Just terrific.”
6. Rubrik, Inc. (NYSE:RBRK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
Rubrik, Inc. (NYSE:RBRK) offers data security and backup solutions, specializing in helping organizations recover from cyberattacks and ransomware. In the context of rising identity theft, Cramer positioned Rubrik as a go-to solution after a breach and a compelling new addition to the cybersecurity portfolio. Here’s what he said:
“Identity theft, it’s rampant […] After you’ve been hit, what do you do? Well, you call in Rubrik. I say you buy Rubrik after what I saw last week when we spoke to them. I think you must have one of these portfolios – one of these stocks in your portfolio – you must have a cyber security stock.”
In response to a caller’s question about Rubrik, Inc. (NYSE:RBRK) during a Mad Money episode from March, Cramer said:
“They’ve had two great quarters. What can I say? I watch them when they’re on air and man, they are doing, they’re doing very, very well. And you know, I do like cybersecurity.”
5. Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) is a global consumer products leader best known for its toothpaste, oral care, and personal hygiene brands. Cramer identified food and household staples as ideal “slow winners” in the current uncertain environment, pointing to Colgate as a timeless defensive play that performs well during economic slowdowns. Here’s what he said:
“I think you could always buy Colgate in this environment as it’s a must own stock in a slowdown. It has been for years. Candy and toothpaste, they go very well together.”
4. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is a global beverage giant with a portfolio of iconic soft drinks and non-alcoholic brands. Cramer called Coca-Cola a “classic bankable stock,” highlighting its consistency, resilience, and potential for an earnings surprise. Here’s his analysis:
“You want an upside surprise. I’m sure Coca-Cola right now, at this very minute, is generating one for the next quarter. It is a classic bankable stock. I don’t care that it’s near its high; it never is that far from its high. I don’t care how boring- and it goes up slowly over time rather than like a data center stock. That’s what I want. Have you seen this stock this year? It’s fantastic.”
On Friday, Jim Cramer replied to a caller about his thoughts on The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), saying:
“I love that…. James Quincey is terrific. It’s got a good dividend. It’s really well run. It’s got an international presence… and it’s doing well in this environment. You have a winner.”
3. Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 44
Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the U.S., supplying electricity and gas to millions of customers in the New York metropolitan area. Cramer pointed to Con Ed as his top utility pick, praising its strong yield and stability in a fast-growing region — calling it a no-fuss, no-drama choice for steady income. Here’s what he said:
“If you want utility too, there were a bunch of them in the chart I don’t like to question. I’d go for Con Ed because we live in one of the fastest growing areas in the country. 3% yield. Provides 3.7 million people with electricity, 1.1 million with gas. No fuss no mess!”
Discussing utility stocks earlier in March, Jim Cramer highlighted Consolidate Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED) as one of his favorites, saying:
“When interest rates go down, we normally look for utilities, but rates are going higher here. Now it could… mean that people want to profit from a slowdown, if not a recession, by buying companies with consistent earnings. So if they’re buying Consolidated Edison… a purveyor of electricity for the New York metro area as well as number two, Exelon, the name of the utility that encompasses Baltimore Gas and Electric…. Well, what can I say, it’s plain as it gets.”
2. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 53
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) is one of the most efficient gold producers in the world, operating multiple high-quality mines across Canada, Mexico, and Finland. Cramer argued that gold is regaining appeal as crypto loses momentum and called Agnico Eagle the best way to get exposure in a sector. Here’s his view:
“Finally, there’s gold, which is defying everyone’s target. How many people say gold’s peaking? It’s not peaking. I believe that gold is back because crypto has quietly lost its luster. […] You want gold, go with the best. You go with Agnico Eagle. It’s the most efficient producer. It’s like clockwork in an industry that frankly has it ceased to be as productive as it used to be.”
In late March, Jim Cramer expressed how much he likes Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM), here’s what he said:
“Wow, I tell you, Agnico Eagle’s terrific. If you wanna go there. That’s the best one. I like that very much. Oh just crushing it and a really well run company. And by the way, not in bad areas, bad areas mean not dangerous areas.”
1. Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64
Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AXON) began as a manufacturer of tasers but has evolved into a leading law enforcement technology company, offering body cameras and cloud-based digital evidence platforms. Cramer emphasized the company’s transformation into a dominant SaaS provider for police departments and provided a very bullish view on it, saying:
“Remember Axon? We had Patrick Smith on. That’s, well I got to tell you, this used to be a taser and people still think it’s taser. It’s a decent business but not a big one. What this company really is now, is the dominant software-as-a-service system for law enforcement in cities all over America. Its body cam system is the gold standard. Its AI work gets rid of the drudgery of filling out and reports gives police officers more time to do their actual jobs. The best? The bad guys plead guilty because it’s all on tape.”
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