During a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer opened with a sharp reminder that the biggest market mover right now is the President and discussed the most recent policy announcements:
“We temporarily forgot who was in charge, who determines stock prices, who decides whether we’re going to have an up day or a down day. No, I’m not talking about the invisible hand of the market. I’m talking about the president. That’s right. Because President Trump isn’t happy with his trade negotiations with the EU, he decided this very morning to slap Europe with a 50% tariff on June 1st unless they come to the table, make a deal.”
READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Nailed These 11 Stock Predictions and 12 Stocks Jim Cramer Was Right About.
Cramer then highlighted some of his fears and turned his attention on to the next week and highlighted some key earnings for his viewers to watch out for:
“It’s tough to tell what awaits us when the market opens next Tuesday if the president’s back on the tariff war path. […] I am concerned that this market now has a downward bias to it. […] Now, we do know this. Next week is a huge one. Huge one for earnings with Costco, Dell, Salesforce, Nvidia. Any one of those can impact the entire sector, if not the market itself. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We have some high-profile companies reporting on Tuesday.”
Finally, he warned that political headlines may overwhelm fundamentals and inject fresh volatility into the market:
“Bottom line, we’re heading into a fickle week. One that will no doubt be punctuated with presidential postings about our trading partners, their intransigence, their negatives, their perfidiousness. Of course, the market only shrugged off the real negative posting from this morning and instead focus on the endless obsession, the 10-year Treasury, which was a steady enough to trump President Trump and his renewed call for high tariffs. I hope that can continue next week. But I’ll tell you something, I wouldn’t count on it.”
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of 11 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the Mad Money episodes that aired between the 21st and 24th of May, 2024. We then calculated their performance for the past 12 months, until May 23rd, 2025, market close. We have also included the hedge fund sentiment for the stocks, which we sourced from Insider Monkey’s Q1 2025 database of over 900 hedge funds. The stocks are listed in the order that Cramer mentioned them.
Please note that this article mentions Jim Cramer’s previous opinions and may not account for any changes to his opinions regarding the stocks that are mentioned. It is primarily an examination of how his previously provided opinions have panned out.
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).
11. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 284
In an older episode, Jim Cramer highlighted Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) as a potential triple winner, touting its dominance in the AI PC cycle, enterprise data infrastructure, and cloud services. With consumers hesitant to spend on home improvement and other hard goods, Cramer argued the real momentum was flowing into companies serving enterprise needs and enabling data analytics at scale. Microsoft, he suggested, was uniquely positioned to benefit across all fronts:
“There might be another big form of spend with the consumer buying tech hardware. […] We’re now hearing from Microsoft about a brand-new PC that replaces most personal computers; one with an artificial intelligence co-pilot. It’s entirely possible that it’ll take another whole quarter for the machines to get there, which is why I just say it’s tantalizing; this whole thing’s tantalizing but it’s just not tangible. Maybe we don’t need to outthink it though, the biggest winner of people buying more windows PCs is the maker of Windows, Microsoft. The biggest winner in the data war might be Microsoft. The biggest winner in the web services war might end up being Microsoft.”
Although Microsoft is up 5.43% since, Cramer’s bullish scenario didn’t exactly pan out.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has positioned itself at the forefront of AI with its new AI-powered Windows PCs and advanced coding tools unveiled at the 2025 Build conference.
Cramer’s latest view on Microsoft remains bullish. Here’s what he said when he highlighted the stock in the beginning of May this year:
“[Talking about the market’s gains] Led by two of these mega caps, the Microsoft and Meta platforms, we’re reminded of how the mega caps got so big to begin with. It’s their scale, their smarts, their moats, their balance sheets, and their sensational products. Microsoft stock finished up 30 points or 7.63% today after a monster quarter […]
Microsoft’s a machine. It’s a conference call that’s incredibly well orchestrated. CEO Satya Nadella starts with a mellifluous analysis of what’s going great guns. He takes it from 30,000 ft all perfect every division including most proudly Azure.
Then CFO Amy Hood, perhaps the most professional of the CFOs in the business, gives the breakdown of the far more prosaic numbers, how much each division gained over the previous year. Then she delivers the single most important bullet in the call: the part where she raises guidance, sometimes huge, sometimes just big.
[Talking about previously reducing guidance in previous quarters] Not this time. This time, it was a glorious course of raised numbers. Azure, it had huge accelerated revenue growth and will continue to do so. […] This quarter was a thing of beauty.”
10. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 53
In that older episode, Jim Cramer brought up Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) in response to its ongoing struggle with market perception despite consistently beating earnings and revenue estimates. He analyzed the stock’s performance and gave his long-term outlook for the stock, saying:
“What do we do with the stock of Deere, America’s number one maker of farm equipment? It keeps reporting great results and then what does it do? It slashes its full-year forecast.
The funny thing about Deere is that it keeps beating the estimates — eight revenue beats in a row, seven earnings beats in a row — but the stock’s basically been going sideways for the past 3 years. Some of that’s purely because we’ve been in an agricultural down cycle since the industry peak in 2022. […]
Now, as investors we sometimes have to take a leap of faith and buy a stock before the actual business bottoms. I do that a lot for the charitable trust. I don’t think we’re necessarily there yet with Deere. With that caveat out of the way, I got to tell you I am not as negative on Deere as you might think.
Why is that? Three primary reasons. First, I like how the stock’s actually acted since the market bottom last October. While Deere sold off with each of the last three quarters, and deservedly so, given its consistently ugly guidance, the stock keeps trying to go higher between those quarters. That tells me investors actually really want to own the stock of Deere, and the second we start getting incrementally more encouraging updates, this thing could make an impressive run higher. So then it’ll be too late to get into if we wait.
Second, we know this company’s been squeezed by the downturn in agricultural commodities and the Fed’s higher-for-longer interest rate environment, but both of these things might be improving.
Finally, when you look at Deere’s slowly eroding full-year forecast, you need to know that much of the big downturn they’re projecting is actually intentional. […] In short, Deere’s trying to become less of a cyclical boom-bust business. […]
“Let me give you the bottom line here on a company that has been maligned by the Street and by me. If you’re willing to take a long-term view, I don’t think you should give up on Deere here. Some of the worst headwinds — that are beyond the company’s control — may soon reverse. In the meantime, management’s been doing a terrific job of taking control of their own destiny.
So yes, Deere stock has been stuck in a ditch — but I don’t think you should give up on the company just yet. When things get better — and they always do for Deere — this stock could soar!”
Cramer nailed this call with Deere rallying 33.08% since then. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) continues to redefine precision agriculture with innovative smart machinery and a strategic push into automation and sustainability.
Addressing the company in February this year, Cramer highlighted the impact of Trump’s tariffs on the stock and how he thinks the stock will keep climbing. Here’s what he said on two occasions:
“By the way farm equipment. . . the tariff on Deere is way too high. Because I tried to buy Deere. It’s like ridiculous how expensive it is in Europe.”
“Then there’s the Ag cycle. Deere stock can’t stop.”
9. Cava Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
In that older episode, a caller asked Jim Cramer about Cava Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA), a fast-casual restaurant chain that some see as a potential rival to Chipotle. The caller was curious about its valuation and future potential. Cramer responded enthusiastically, saying:
“I’m very bullish. I’m very bullish. I think the comparison with Chipotle is — and I rarely ever say this — reasonable. It’s not excessive, and I think Cava is really good.”
Cramer’s bullish take was justified as Cava is up 7.51% despite a recent pullback. Cava Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA) is expanding its footprint across the U.S. by modernizing Mediterranean fast-casual dining with bold flavors and an efficient digital-first approach.
Jim Cramer still views the stock as a long-term play. Here’s what he said on May 16:
“Over the past month or so, the vast majority of stocks have rebounded from their lows. Some truly great names are still way off their highs. Take CAVA Group, the Mediterranean restaurant chain that I’ve been recommending for the past 18 months because I think it’s a tremendous regional to national growth story… CAVA will be going up against some tough comparisons in the future, though I remain in the same place on this one.
I view CAVA as a long-term growth play, or what’s known as a compounder on Wall Street, we like those, which grows and grows steadily over a long period of time. Even after the stock’s big pullback from its highs, this isn’t a value play by any stretch of the imagination as CAVA still sells for north of 150 times earnings. Nobody says it’s cheap. These great growers don’t come cheap. I just think it’s a situation where the scale of the opportunity is much, much larger than CAVA’s current $11 billion market capitalization […]
Even if the market rolls over and CAVA pulls back again, then I once again view that as an opportunity to build a position, just like when I told you to buy the stock back at 77 in April. Despite the hand ringing about the economy, I’ve not seen anything to make me believe that CAVA can’t still become the great next story. And I’m talking about yes, when we talk about restaurants, maybe the next Chipotle, as long as the regional and national expansion is on track, and it is, this one should have plenty more upside. Great opportunity here.”
8. Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 33
In that older episode, a caller asked about Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) and Joby Aviation Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), wondering whether to hold Archer or switch to Joby. Cramer dismissed both, urging the caller to focus on more established companies:
“What? No. Go buy Walmart or something. Go buy a real company. I mean, we’ve got to step up our game here. […] We’re not going to be in the Archer and the Joby — we’re going to be in the Walmarts, the real good ones.”
Cramer missed big here since Archer has skyrocketed 219.92% after he dismissed it. Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:ACHR) is developing eVTOL aircraft aimed at reshaping short-haul transportation through urban air mobility solutions.
Cramer now thinks Archer went a “little bit too far” with its recent surge and prefers another stock. Here’s what he said when asked about it on the 16th of May:
“Oh, that one’s a bridge too far for me to tell you the truth. Electric vertical takeoff, I mean, I’m willing to go with Rocket Lab, but Archer’s just a little bit too far. I mean, someone who’s like 18, 19, 20, 21, you might want to believe in it. I don’t want to have too many of these kinds of stocks on my so-called recommended list.”
7. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 79
In that older episode, a longtime shareholder asked Cramer whether he should swap his shares of General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) for Ford, given GM’s buyback program and Ford’s higher dividend. Cramer said:
“Oh well, you know one is in the charitable trust, Ford is. But this GM buyback of Mary Barra’s has really worked, and I think the stock’s going higher. […] Right now, stick with GM. I’m not going to urge you to sell. […] I can’t say swap one for the other right now. You got the one with the buyback that’s what matters.”
Cramer was right not to panic as GM rose a modest 9.91% afterward. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is investing heavily in electric vehicle innovation, relaunching the Chevy Bolt with lower-cost lithium iron phosphate batteries to broaden market reach.
Comparing the two automakers again recently, here’s what Cramer said about them on May 1st:
“You know, listen, Phil, you had an amazing interview with Mary Barra [GM CEO], I’ve got to ask you, it looks like that Ford has an edge on GM. When it comes to what’s going on. In terms of tariffs. Because I think that Jim Farley for whatever reason makes much more in pure America than GM does. [Phil agreed]”
6. Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 14
A caller asked whether Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ) could benefit from increased M&A activity in Q3 2024. Cramer responded positively back then, saying:
“I think Lazard’s a good buy here. I do believe that things are going to get a little less onerous when it comes to takeovers. It’s a really good idea — thank you for bringing it to our attention.”
Cramer wasn’t totally off, but the gain of 5.83% doesn’t exactly scream conviction. Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ) remains a premier global advisor in M&A and restructuring, leveraging its boutique model to serve clients through volatile economic cycles.
Cramer remains a fan of the stock as he agreed with a caller when they called the stock cheap in January this year, saying:
“Absolutely. I’ve gotta tell you, I think Lazard’s really inexpensive… I think you’re absolutely right.”
5. Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 34
A caller said he sold Dominion Energy and bought Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB), asking whether he should hold and reinvest the dividend. Cramer affirmed:
“I like Enbridge. Continue to reinvest. I’m one of the few people that’s liked Enbridge all the way down because I trust that management team.”
Cramer’s trust in management paid off with Enbridge gaining 23.90%. Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB) operates North America’s most extensive pipeline system and is expanding its renewable energy investments across wind and solar.
Cramer remains a big fan of the natural gas stock. Here’s his analysis from May 13:
“What else? You know I’m a big fan of Enbridge, the Canadian pipeline colossus. Although their network also has lots of crude oil exposure, still, I think Enbridge belongs in any shortlist of natural gas plays because they operate the continent’s largest natural gas utility by volume. These guys were always big in Canada, they run the main gas utility in Toronto.
But last year, they bought three American utilities in Utah, Ohio, and North Carolina, respectively, from Dominion Energy, and that’s created North America’s largest natural gas utility. Now, despite a solid 5% gain so far this year and a nearly 18% gain over the past 12 months, the stock’s pretty still cheap, trading just over 20 times this year’s earnings estimates, get this, supports a juicy 6% yield. What is not to like about Enbridge?”
4. Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
A caller asked about Intuitive Machines Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR), especially after its highly publicized moon landing back then. Cramer wasn’t impressed at the time:
“I’m not there on that. I’ve got too many stocks I like that are doing really terrific things. I mean, it had a one-day wonder — had a big spike — and I feel like I missed the spike. I don’t want to come in on top of that spike. Not for me.”
Cramer underestimated this one badly with Intuitive Machines soaring 128.63%. Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR) plays a critical role in NASA’s Artemis missions, providing lunar landing systems and space infrastructure technologies.
3. AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22
A caller asked about AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS), wondering about its potential despite having no earnings yet. Cramer shut it down:
“No. I want you to stay away. We’ve got so many great companies — so many terrific companies — and we don’t need to be in that one.”
Cramer was completely wrong on ASTS, which exploded 405.94% after he said avoid it. AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) is building the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network to deliver direct-to-device connectivity across the globe.
Jim Cramer still doesn’t rate the stock and gave a negative opinion on it when asked about it recently. Here’s what he said on March 28:
“The biggest problem is that they’ve got a hideous balance sheet, and I don’t like hideous balance sheets. What has to happen is I think they should take on a partner. I do think that they’ve got a very interesting way to- look it’s a good telecom company partner, but what really matters to me is they’ve got to either start making money or get someone to give them some money. Right now, I think you’re too up in the air in this particular stock market.”
2. Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47
A caller asked about Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT), a biotech firm working on RNA therapies. Cramer responded with cautious optimism:
“You know what, I have not looked at it lately — what it’s doing with RNA and some really tough diseases. It has been a company that has not made money, but is about to break out and make money. I’m not going to say no to it.”
Despite being cautiously positive, Cramer missed this one as Sarepta plunged 68.98%. Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SRPT) is focused on precision genetic medicine, including RNA therapies for rare neuromuscular diseases like Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
As of 2025, Cramer has changed his opinion on the stock. Here’s what he said on the 15th of January when asked about it:
“You’re totally right. I think the RNA-based therapeutic companies are not doing well. I wonder if this isn’t like a reverse halo effect because of Moderna. I didn’t quite understand, I agree with you. It, it is troubling. I don’t want to be there.”
1. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77
A caller asked about Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR), focusing on its commercial and military applications. Cramer replied:
“Palantir’s got good commercial and good military. They want to emphasize the commercial. I think it’s fine. When it comes to cybersecurity, I am partial to Palo Alto even down here.”
Cramer’s comparison wasn’t exactly the best, as Palantir surged by 495.13% while Palo Alto is up significantly less. Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:NASDAQ) is expanding its AI-powered data platforms across government and enterprise clients, with a growing backlog of defense-related contracts.
Despite the stock’s continued outperformance, Cramer remains unimpressed. Heres’ what he said earlier in May:
“The ultimate meme stock for the moment is this company called Palantir, which reports. It’s a cybersecurity company. Now this one’s moved up by persistent retail buying that starts around 4:00 AM every day when they literally walk it up a couple of points before the bell and then continue to keep it at that level until the close.
It’s possible the story’s not as big as the hype or the hope, but we know that Palantir’s got a constituency of retail buyers that just won’t quit. I don’t know if they’ll quit when they see the number.”
While we acknowledge the potential of PLTR as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some 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 PLTR 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.
