Jim Cramer Blog

Amback (ABK), Wachovia (WB), Countrywide Financial (CFC), MGIC (MTG), Washington Mutual (WM), Fannie Mae (FNM), Freddie Mac (FRE), Pepsico (PEP), Colgate (CL), Procter and Gamble (PG), Diageo (DEO)
Cramer said the Fed's liquidity strategy is going to make banks suffer more and noted the bad performance of ABK, WB, CFC, MTG, WM, FNM and FRE. He said favorite defensive stocks PEP, CL, PG and DEO were thriving. Cramer called on the Fed to vacate its Ivory Tower and find out what is really going on in the market.
Apple (AAPL), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Google (GOOG), Research in Motion (RIMM), Intel (INTC), Nvidia (NVDA), Texas Instruments (TXN), Sigma Designs (SIGM), AT &T (T)
Cramer commented if the Fed had cut half a point, there would be more stocks to recommend, but with a quarter point interest rate reduction, it looks like slim pickings, except for tech. His perennial favorites in the sector: AAPL, HPQ, GOOG, RIMM, INTC, NVDA, TXN are in great shape, Cramer said.
In addition, Cramer singled out Sigma Designs as a play on the decline of cable companies and as comparable services are provided by telephone companies. AT &T announced it is spending $5 billion on its U-verse TV service, and Sigma, which designs the chips for service, will benefit. Analysts raised their price targets after Sigma reported a fantastic quarter, and the company has a high quality problem of not making enough chips to meet demand. Cramer suggests letting SIGM come down a bit before buying.
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: AAPL, ABK, CFC, CL, DEO, FNM, FRE, GOOG, HPQ, INTC, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, MTG, NVDA, PEP, PG, RIMM, TXN, WB, WM

Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT): 'Oh c'mon. This is so right. I'm tired of hearing the naysayers. It's already coming back. I want to back up the truck, LVLT.'eBay (NasdaqGS: EBAY)Ionatron (NasdaqGM: IOTN): ' ... got a $500,000 contract on Monday. It propelled the stock, and now it's pulled back. I suspect more contracts are in the works, and I am sticking with this, but only as a spec!... 'Diageo (NYSE: DEO): 'It's up in a straight line. We've had a huge ride ... I think you wait until a pullback, before you back up the truck.'Jefferies Group (NYSE: JEF): 'There is a belief among many that JEF is for sale... Why am I skeptical? ... I think Handler's too young to jettison it. I see the option activity... It's an inexpensive stock. I'll recommend it on earnings. If you get a takeover.'Moog (MOG-A): 'MOGa is another company with great filtration. I like MOGa. I was actually preparing a segment on this, but I guess the cat's out of the bag!'Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC)Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY)Golden Star Resources (AMEX: GSS)First Solar (NasdaqGM: FSLR): 'It's had a big run ... Wait for the pull back on the expiration of the lockup next week, then FSLR.'Charter Communications (NasdaqGM: CHTR): ' I think could mark time. If it goes below $3.40, (pull the trigger), but not until then. There is tremendous pin action in the cable business, because of the triple play. I looked at the CHTR quarter, and I liked what I saw very much.'Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS)Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI)Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM)
Bearish calls:
Gmarket (NasdaqGM: GMKT): 'I'm in the 'don't buy' camp on this Korean eBay. I'd rather own EBAY itself.'Hansen Medical (NasdaqGM: HNSN): 'No. You're ringing the register. Sell, sell, sell! ... that the gain has been made.'Tanzanian Royalty Exploration (AMEX: TRE): 'We are very nervous about this one, because we haven't done the work ... If you're going to roll the dice, you might as well roll them with a company called Tanzanian, but it's not my cup of tea.'Starbucks (NasdaqGS: SBUX): ' ... it's long-term good ... Long-term good means you don't like it. I don't like SBUX here. The quarter wasn't that good ... Don't buy, don't buy.'Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL): 'No. I'm going to steer you toward First Solar.'Bank of America (NYSE: BAC): 'Trouble. Trouble ... I know this is a well-run bank, but I wish they would stop making so many acquisitions! ... I've got to say, 'don't buy, don't buy...'
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: ATI, AUY, BAC, BAM, DEO, GSS, JEF, Jim Cramer, KGC, Lightning Round, Mad Money, SBUX, TRE, TSL

Bullish calls:
Downey Financial (NYSE: DSL): 'Let's go buy some Downey.'Nokia (NYSE: NOK): 'Reported a pretty good number.'Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL): 'Marking time ... one of just three tech stocks I said you could own right through to the summer.'Quicksilver Resources (NYSE: KWK): 'That's the good Quicksilver ... happens to be in my sweet spot.'Dow Chemical (NYSE: DOW): 'They decided they don't want value ... you take the dividend, you hold the stock. Dow will be acquired.'XTO Energy (NYSE: XTO)Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG): 'I think it's a coiled spring ... I like management very much ... I say it's at the right level ... step up to the plate and buy it before it hits 65.'RPM International (NYSE: RPM): 'Kind of has been lost in the shuffle. ... The long-term record with RPM is so good, we're giving them the benefit of the doubt.'St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ): 'Two ways to win ... get the heart business pumping much faster or we get a takeover. Do not abandon St. Jude even though it's had a nice run.'Google (NasdaqGS: GOOG)Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ): 'Surprised the stock has pulled back .... We stay long Domino's, and I want you to buy some.'Diageo (NYSE: DEO): 'When the stock got to 74, quite an anomaly after they reported a fantastic quarter ... Stock just up 9 straight points. ... I want you to wait for a pullback to 80 before I want you to get involved.'Broadridge Financial (NYSE: BR): 'I do like the brokerage business, and that's what it's levered to.'Tiffany (NYSE: TIF): 'Holy cow is that ever a great company.'Coach (NYSE: COH): 'Coach, Ralph Lauren, Guess? those are all premium brands that you can buy and pay high multiples for.'Polo Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL)Guess? (NYSE: GES)
Bearish calls:
Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO): 'We've liked this stock literally for 15 points ... Let it come in, then you'll have to buy it back. Rio is a great growth story ... as is Brazil.'BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP)TrustCo Bank Corp (NasdaqGS: TRST): 'Seemingly inexpensive ... problem is on a book value basis, it is very expensive. ... I say ixnay on the TrustConay. Let's go buy some Downey.'Motorola (NYSE: MOT): 'I've been right to stay away from Moto ... they sent me a press release about how Carl Icahn is not welcome on their board. ... Motorola, let Carl Icahn on your board. And if not, until then, stay away.'Southern Copper (NYSE: PCU)
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: BR, COH, DEO, DOW, DPZ, DSL, GES, Jim Cramer, KWK, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MOT, NOK, PG, RIO, RPM, STJ, TIF, XTO

IAC InterActive Corp (NasdaqGS: IACI), Yahoo (NasdaqGS: YHOO), eBay (NasdaqGS: EBAY), Google (NasdaqGS: GOOG), Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD - News), Intel (NasdaqGS: INTC)
"When you look at who has the most earnings momentum in the first quarter, you're going to come to the interactive portion of the market," said Cramer, and listed his four favorite internet stocks in order: Yahoo, eBay, IAC and Google. He thinks Yahoo will double its money in click-through advertising, thanks to Panama, IACI has "tremendous" earning power, eBay reported a great quarter and Google is bottoming. Cramer predicts AMTD will go out of business because of fierce competition with INTC and overexpansion.
Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News), American Express (NYSE: EXP - News), 3M (NYSE: MMM - News), Pepsico (NYSE: PEP - News), Coke (NYSE: KO - News)
Cramer thinks the fact that DEO and EXP are down is absurd, and although 3M is "poorly executed," he believes the Morgan Stanley upgrade is "important because it said even if the company keeps screwing up, it should be able to bottom." In addition, 3M has the "biggest buyback of the major Dow stocks just declared and big Asian exposure," as well as a 3% yield. Cramer also has hope in soft drink stocks with PEP searching for a bottom and KO "putting one in ... They're both going to go up," he said.
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: AMD, DEO, Ebay, EXP, GOOG, IACI, Jim Cramer, KO, MMM, PEP, Wall Street Confidential, YHOO

Bullish calls:
Celgene (NasdaqGS: CELG): ' ... down $3 - where Bob Hugin [CEO] came on our show and assured us that things are good. So I'm going... CELG, particularly if you can get it under $50, which would be a gift.'AT&T (NYSE: T - News): ' Tomorrow morning, T - It would be a gift if that stock opened down. It's got yield protection. It's got a buyback. It's got superb management. It fits all my criteria. 'J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP - News): 'I think you can possibly own a JCP, which is buying back stock and people think it missed the quarter, but Mike Ullman [CEO] is saying good things.'Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG - News)Colgate (NYSE: CL - News)Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News)Wyndham (NYSE: WYN - News): 'I've been doing a lot of work on WYN, which is a spinoff of Cendant. I like that more [than CHH].'Hilton (NYSE: HLT - News): 'You know I've been a big fan of HLT.'
Bearish calls:
Pain Therapeutics (NasdaqGM: PTIE): ' ... even though PTIE seems to have really good earnings power coming up next year, I think it's too risky. I honestly would rather see you in a CELG.'Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM - News): 'I think the stock should be lower. I do not get why that stock hangs in in this bad market. I don't want to own CRM, and I don't want anyone else to either. I invite the CEO if he wants to come on and talk about his stock selling.'Retail Ventures (NYSE: RVI - News): 'In this market, when you're worried, and you have a stock that's a point off its 52-week high, we are strictly in a no-prisoners mode. You take that, and you ring the register.'Playtex Products (NYSE: PYX - News): 'I like the cohort. I believe that that kind of consumer-related business is not going to have a slowdown here... But why do you need to be in PYX - a point off its high - when you can be in PG? When you can be in CL? When you can be in DEO, which just reported a great quarter?'Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH - News): 'It's a franchiser of hotels ... I don't think I need to go down in the food chain to your name. I've got a bunch of them that I think are cheaper and better, and those are the ones that I want to go with.'
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: CELG, CHH, CL, CRM, DEO, HLT, JCP, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, PG, PTIE, PYX, RVI, WYN

Amerigroup (NYSE:AGP - News) reported that fourth-quarter net income more than doubled to $29.9 million, or 56 cents a share, from $12.9 million, or 25 cents a share, a year earlier. Excluding a pretax gain from net prior period amounts of $13.8 million, or 16 cents a share, earnings were $21.4 million, or 40 cents a share, in the latest fourth quarter. The Virginia Beach, Va., health-care services company said revenue increased 31% to $809.7 million from $620.3 million a year ago. On average, analysts polled by Thomson Financial predicted fourth-quarter earnings of 36 cents a share and revenue of $770.3 million. Analyst estimates typically exclude unusual items. The company also boosted its outlook for 2007 to earnings of $1.85 to $2 per share.

Anheuser-Busch (NYSE:BUD - News) shares rose following a published report that it's held merger talks with Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev.
Armstrong World Industries (NYSE:AWI - News) said it's initiated a review of its strategic options. It's retained Lazard Freres as its financial advisor and Weil, Gotshal & Manges as its legal advisor in the process.
Avici Systems Inc. (NasdaqGM:AVCI - News) swung to a fourth-quarter net profit of $2.99 million, or 21 cents a share, boosted by strong product revenue growth. In the same period last year, the provider of networking equipment posted a net loss of $8.6 million, or 67 cents a share.
Barnes Group (NYSE:B - News) earned $18.5 million, or 34 cents a share in the fourth quarter, compared to $9.7 million, or 19 cents a share a year ago. Net sales for the period were $328.8 million versus $276.4 million a year ago. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had expected the firm to earn 29 cents a share in the quarter. Barnes also said it expects full year earnings per share to be $1.53 to $1.60.
BEA Systems Inc. (NasdaqGS:BEAS - News) said it has uncovered instances where stock options granted to its executives and employees were not properly accounted for, and it will have to restate financial results from 1998 through fiscal 2007, and record expenses of $340 million to $390 million.
Beazer Homes USA Inc. (NYSE:BZH - News) said its general counsel, Kenneth J. Gary, was terminated "for a pattern of personal conduct which includes violations of company policies." The disclosure came in a regulatory filing, which did not detail the alleged violations.
Capella Education (NasdaqGM:CPLA - News) said its fourth-quarter net profit rose to $5.7 million, or 39 cents a share, from $3 million, or 25 cents a share. Revenue at the online education services group rose 20.7% to $50.6 million in the quarter. The company said growth was driven by a rise in enrollments, with the number of active learners rising 23% to around 18,000 for the year as a whole. Capella said for 2007 it expects enrollment and revenue to grow 18% to 19%, with operating margins expected to be 10.5% to 11.5% of revenue.
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT - News) said its board approved a $7.5 billion stock repurchase program. The Peoria, Ill., maker of construction and mining equipment said it expects to complete the buyback within the next five years.
CenturyTel (NYSE:CTL - News) said its fourth-quarter net income fell to $72.2 million from $78.3 million, a year ago. On a per-share basis, earnings increased to 62 cents a share from 59 cents a year ago due to a higher number of shares outstanding in the year-ago quarter. Excluding items, earnings were 68 cents a share for the current quarter. A Thomson Financial survey of analysts, on average, predicted earnings of 64 cents a share for the quarter. Analyst estimates usually exclude items. The Monroe, La., integrated communications company revenue fell 2.1% to $607.7 million from $620.5 million. The company expects first-quarter earnings excluding items of 60 cents to 65 cents a share on revenue of $600 million to $610 million. Analysts forecast earnings of 63 cents a share for the quarter. Centurytel sees 2007 earnings excluding items of $2.60 to $2.70 a share. Wall Street projects earnings of $2.71 a share for the year.
Charles River Labs (NYSE:CRL - News) was upgraded to buy from hold at Jefferies & Co.
Chordiant Software (NasdaqGM:CHRD - News) shares gained after the Cupertino, Calif.-based company reported a fiscal first-quarter net loss of $10.7 million, or 14 cents a share, vs. a net loss of $1.77 million, or 2 cents a share, last year. Excluding certain items, the company posted a loss of $2.7 million, or 3 cents a share. Revenue rose to $22.9 million from $22.6 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting a per-share loss of 2 cents on revenue of $24.7 million. Chordiant raised its fiscal 2007 revenue forecast to a range of $120 million to $125 million.
Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS - News) said its CEO Oswald Grubel has decided to retire May 4. Grubel will be replaced by Brady Dougan, head of the bank's investment banking arm.
Diageo (NYSE:DEO - News) shares advanced after the company was able to lift its operating profit forecast for the year after increasing sales of Scotch whisky and beer to emerging markets and nabbing greater market share in the U.S.
Dobson Communications Corp. (NasdaqGS:DCEL - News) said it swung to a fourth-quarter net profit of $1.74 million, boosted by higher service revenue. In the same period last year, the provider of wireless phone services posted a net loss of $24.9 million.
EnPro Industries (NYSE:NPO - News) reported fourth-quarter earnings before items of $17.6 million, or 81 cents a share, on sales growth of 18%.
FTI Consulting (NYSE:FCN - News) shares gained after the Baltimore-based company posted fourth-quarter net earnings of $17.4 million, or 42 cents a share, down from $18.3 million, or 46 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue in the three months ended Dec. 31 rose to $216.8 million from $165.7 million. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were expecting a per-share profit of 37 cents on revenue of $194.4 million. FTI expects 2007 earnings of $1.74 to $1.84 a share. Analysts are looking for earnings of $1.76 a share.
Guess Inc. (NYSE:GES - News) blew the doors off earnings expectations by turning in a profit of $45.7 million, or 99 cents a share, a sharp turn from last year's income of $25.8 million, or 57 cents a share. The casual-apparel retailer said revenues surged 25% to $346.4 million.
Gymboree (NasdaqGS:GYMB - News) was initiated with a buy rating at Wedbush Morgan.
Hershey Foods Corp. (NYSE:HSY - News) detailed a three-year plan to change its supply chain operations, saying it expects a total net reduction of about 1,500 jobs. The Hershey, Pa., candy company expects to record pre-tax charges and non-recurring project implementation costs of between $525 million and $575 million from the program over the next three years, primarily in 2007 and 2008. The plan calls for a reduction in the number of production lines in use by more than one-third, the outsourcing of low value-added items and the construction of a production facility in Monterrey, Mexico. When the plan is completed, Hershey said about 80% of its production volume will take place in the U.S. and Canada. The company also reaffirmed its long-term goals for sales growth of 3% to 4% and growth in diluted earnings per share from operations of 9% to 11%. For 2007, however, it said it sees growth in diluted earnings per share from operations of 7% to 9%.

Published By MarketWatch

Labels: AGP, AVCI, AWI, B, BUD, BZH, CAT, CHRD, CPLA, CRL, CS, CTL, DCEL, DEO, FCN, GES, GYMB, HSY, NPO

Labels: DEO, DPZ, ERTS, HYDL, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, MRVL, NOV, S, SHLD, THQI, TS, VG

Case for Trades: Marvell (NasdaqGS: MRVL)
Cramer discussed the outdated stigma that surrounds trading, and said that there is no reason to avoid trades now that taxes and commissions are the lowest he has seen them. "Buy and hold" doesn't cut it anymore, he commented, adding that his Mad Money picks are not meant to be held forever; investors "should try to buy as low as possible and sell high ... That doesn't make you a trader. It makes you an intelligent manager of your own money." In spite of an upgrade by Deutsche Bank and J.P Morgan, semiconductor stocks will not be strong until the middle of the year, and he expects MRVL to get hit harder than the rest. However, Cramer would buy the stock low because "Marvell is not a trade. It's not an investment. It's just a good idea." He would pick up the stock below $18 before it reports, but would do homework first.
Oil is Well: National Oilwell Varco (NYSE: NOV - News), Teneris (NYSE: TS - News), Hydril (NasdaqGS: HYDL)
Although The Street has abandoned oil, Cramer likes NOV, since it "is the biggest maker of oil rigs on earth," reported an amazing quarter and is cheap. He points out that just as Teneris has agreed to buy HYDL for $97 a share, another buyer could pick up NOV. Cramer would buy some before it gets a takeover bid.
Q & A and Mad Mail: Sears Holdings (NasdaqGS: SHLD), Sprint (NYSE: S - News), Electronic Arts (NasdaqGS: ERTS), THQ (NasdaqGS: THQI), Domino's (NYSE: DPZ - News), Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News), Vonage (NYSE: VG - News)
Cramer says that he is recommending SHLD because it could be another Berkshire Hathaway, but said that he would get rid of the stock if he saw "deviation from... the Berkshire plan." Concerning Sprint, he says he would not recommend a stock when its fundamentals are deteriorating, and adds, "I keep waiting till the estimates get so low that they can't deteriorate further," and says that he would back up the truck when that happens. While the success of one game would not make such an impact on $15 billion company ERTS, it could affect$2 billion company THQ, and since the stock is expensive, Cramer would not buy it. Cramer says that "the worst is over" for DPZ, and would hold on to it, since it is a good chain. Finally, Cramer says Diageo is "terrific" and VG is "radically overpriced."
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Labels: DEO, DPZ, ERTS, HYDL, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, MRVL, NOV, S, SHLD, THQI, TS, VG

Fortress Investment Group, Sears Holdings (NasdaqGS: SHLD) and Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS - News)
Cramer comments that Fortress Investments, which will become the first publicly traded hedge fund on Friday, will serve as a yardstick for Sears which is really an investment, rather than a retail, business. Cramer calls Sears' CEO Eddie Lampert "one of the best money managers in history," but because there were no publicly traded hedge funds up until now, there has been no way to gauge SHLD's worth. "Fortress' multiple, which will probably be 17 times earnings, tells us what we should pay for Sears' investment business," Cramer said, and noted that investors will realize that Sears is cheap. While some think that Fortress could also be a gauge for GS, Cramer does not agree, since GS is more than a hedge fund. He predicts that SHLD will rise to at least $237 a share from $180.81.
State Street (NYSE: STT - News), Investors Financial Services (NasdaqGS: IFIN), DST Systems (NYSE: DST - News), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC - News), SunTrust (NYSE: STI - News)
Cramer says that asset management firms like DST "should have gone up huge" when STT made a bid to acquire IFIN. This didn't happen, and Cramer thinks it is "wrong" but would use the opportunity to buy DST, which he believes is the next takeover target. He thinks potential buyers may be BAC or STI, and even if DST doesn't get bought, it had a "blowout" quarter, is still cheap and has good fundamentals. Although DST is not worth as much as Investors Financial, it should increase from $71.94 to $88.
Sell Block: Avon (NYSE: AVP - News), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC - News), Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS - News), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF - News), Circuit City (NYSE: CC - News), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News)
Cramer said he regretted placing Andrea Jung on his bad CEO list, because Avon recently reported a great quarter; "the company showed real growth afte a long time," he said. Although Cramer has liked WFC for "seemingly forever" he would sell since he feels it is expensive. Cramer said it isn't necessary to drop one's entire position, but would swap some into GS. Cramer would take profits in ANF, would sell CC and would buy BBY.
Mad Mail: Altria (NYSE: MO - News), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS - News), Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News), Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT)
Cramer commented that MO and DEO have solid dividends and do not resemble LVS which is a "high-rolling, conceivably one-month shortfall of a Macau stock." Cramer sees a turnaround in LVLT, which is taking care of its debt, but he suggested doing homework and checking out the company's conference call before buying.
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: ANF, AVP, BAC, BBY, CC, DEO, DST, GS, Jim Cramer, LVS, Mad Money, MO, SHLD, STI, STT, WFC

Bullish calls:
Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS - News): 'I'd rather see you in DKS.'Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News): 'DEO's one of my best picks... even though they hit their 52-week high ... they are unbelievable, charging for a ridiculously bad blend... That stock, moving into China, I think DEO, at $80, goes to $100 in the next 18 months. I want you to stick with DEO.'Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC - News): 'I think NOC is unbelivable; they're a great company. The war has lasted a long time, and that defense appropriation budget is gigantic. Two thumbs up, way up, for all the defense contractors, including the big three of NOC, GD, and LMT.'Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News)General Dynamics (NYSE: GD - News)Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS - News): 'I would much rather see you ... in GS, at $214 ... let's stick with best.'Six Flags (NYSE: SIX - News): 'That stock - 5-6, 5-6... When we get to summer, that stock goes to $8.'Hanesbrands (NYSE: HBI - News): ' I think HBI is very cheap ... I think HBI is a slow, plodding stock that will go higher. It's not exciting ... but it won't hurt you. I'm giving it one thumb up, but not way up.'Lowe's (NYSE: LOW - News): 'I want you to stay with LOW.'Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM - News): 'XOM is one of those stocks that Wall Street just absolutely loves... It returns a lot of money in dividends... It returns a lot of money in buybacks. My problem is that it's singularly unexciting ... But, that said, every money manager and his brother is into XOM.'Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN - News): 'If you want to get into oil that has a great future, I would go with DVN.'Chevron (NYSE: CVX - News): 'If you want to get into oil that is going from bad to good - and it is bad - go into CVX ... I think CVX will make you more money [than XOM.]'
Bearish calls:
Cabela's (NYSE: CAB - News):' I thought it would take off. It is still at $24. My bad ... I am distinctly now in the 'don't buy, don't buy' camp.'Home Depot (NYSE: HD - News): 'HD is run by a guy who may or may not be good ... I want you to sell HD.'Hudson City BankCorp (NasdaqGS: HCBK): ' Just added to the index - spiked up - came right back down ... Here's the problem: When you have an inverted yield curve, where the short rates are too high, and the long rates aren't that high, that's a bad environment for savings and loans in general.'Chiquita Brands (NYSE: CQB - News): 'That's a major league short ... Sell, sell, sell!'

Labels: CAB, CQB, CVX, DEO, DKS, DVN, GD, GS, HBI, HD, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LMT, LOW, Mad Money, NOC, SIX, XOM

Bullish calls:
Boeing (BA): ' ... it's two thumbs up, way up. That Wachovia guy who downgraded BA - he is going to be so massively wrong, it is frightening... 'Transocean (RIG): ' We like RIG.'Halliburton (HAL): ' ... yes, I'll stick my neck out once again, that HAL will be good.'NYSE (NYX): 'There's a story out there ... It says that there's going to be a massive lockup expiration, where everybody can sell 20 million shares. All the bears are keying on that ... my canvas of the stock tells me that none of the big holders is going to sell that stock. That's why NYX - which is my growth stock of the year - is headed to nothing short of $200!'Hain Celestial (HAIN): 'I would recommend HAIN as best of breed.'Level 3 Communications (LVLT): 'I say you should not be worried. This stock has had a miraculous run. But, it just again cleaned up its balance sheet even more by offering stock. This is one of my growth stocks that are speculative for the year. I reiterate my buy and, if it ever goes below $6, obviously you back up the truck!'Schering-Plough (SGP): 'I would vastly prefer SGP or JNJ [to PFE].'Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)Amgen (AMGN): 'I like AMGN and I like DNA for a little bit of growth.'Genentech (DNA)American Ecology (ECOL): ' ... look at ECOL.'Unilever (UN): 'I've been watching this stock creep up, and I keep saying to myself, 'Why didn't I recommend it? I knew that a turnaround was in place . I have missed UN. My bad. Is it too late to get in? No. Buy, buy, buy!'Diageo (DEO)Rackable Systems (RACK): 'I think it's way overdone to the downside ... I think you wait until the summer, you'll catch a bounce ... you stick with RACK. I don't want to go away from it.'eBay (EBAY)USG (USG): 'The only in-housing play that I've been recommending consistently is USG... I came back and said that stock is going higher. Swap out of yours and go into USG!'
Bearish calls:
Valero Energy (VLO): ' ... don't think VLO's going to do much. It's up 3 bucks, down 3 bucks... I'd like you to take the trade off though. I just don't think that, with oil and gas this low, that you really want to trifle with any of these things to buy on the way down, so let's ix-nay that trade when it comes in a little, and let's play on the long side.'SunOpta (STKL): 'We're swapping out of STKL and we're going into HAIN... 'Georgia Gulf (GGC): 'The only in-housing play that I've been recommending consistently is... Swap out of yours and go into USG!'Pfizer (PFE): 'You've got what I call dead money ... Keep selling PFE. It's just like owning a bond, but a little less exciting.'Republic Services (RSG): ' ... when we buy a company at twice its growth rate, in terms of a P/E, it's been catastrophic for us. So I want you to sell that one - sell, sell, sell.'
Published by SeekingAlpha

Labels: AMGN, BA, DEO, DNA, Ebay, ECOL, HAIN, HAL, Jim Cramer, JNJ, LVLT, Mad Money, NYX, RACK, RIG, SGP, STKL, UN, USG, VLO

A Toast for Diageo (DEO)
Continuting his series on favorite foreign stocks, Cramer declared that his #2 pick is the British liquor company, Diageo. In spite of a 30% increase since he began to recommend it, Cramer calls the stock cheap, notes its generous dividend and declares it "recession proof" since people drink even (or especially) when times are bad. In addition, he says the company is a low-risk, indirect play on China where its scotch is popular and cheap. Cramer expects Diageo to expand into Russia, India and Brazil and notes that it is "dominating" the U.S. market with its positive volume growth. In addition, Cramer likes Diageo because of its low estimates and strong marketing.
Fall Back into the Gap (GPS)
Although Cramer has hated the Gap for a while, he now declares that it is a triple buy since it did not budge after reporting the worst quarter Cramer has seen with "horribly deteriorating" cash flows and the resignation of its CEO, Paul Pressler. However, Cramer's rule is that if a stock does not decline on bad news, it is going higher, and his favorite retail analyst, Dana Cohen, has predicted that GPS will go to $25 from $19.38. Retail comebacks, evidenced by J.Crew and Gucci, happen, and even if GPS will not see a turnaround, Cramer believes the stock will rise on an acquisition by private equity firms, which have cash "shloshing around" and are eager to spend.
Mad Mail: Plantronics (PLT) and World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
Cramer would sell PLT because it is too "commodity focused," but gave two thumbs up again to WWF, which he believes is a "great play" although it hasn't moved very much.
Published by SeekingAlpha

Labels: DEO, GPS, Jim Cramer, Mad Money, PLT, WWF

Bullish calls:
RPM (NYSE: RPM - News): 'Most people do not know this coating stock that has traditionally paid a 3% dividend, met the quarter - quarter after quarter ... I've always wondered why this company hasn't been taken over yet. It is a terrific, terrific little sleeper company.'Wachovia (NYSE: WB - News): 'I think that WB, with a 4% yield, is not going to go down when they report the quarter. It's a very well run bank. I condone owning it through earnings period.'BioMarin (NASDAQ: BMRN - News): 'I have been behind BMRN for a long time, and I am not backing away. Therapeutic enzyme products. It's just - for burns - I think they've got a bunch of stuff in the pipeline ... BMRN is a really terrific story.'Diageo (NYSE: DEO - News): 'I won't let it go, because this is a 4% yielder that's moving into China aggressively. And I think the business is too good to sell.'Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL - News): 'I am in still AAPL, and I'm staying that way.'Nice (NASDAQ: NICE - News): 'FLIR, No. 2 - and NICE, No. 1 - have been our ways to play counterterroism, because they have great homeland security products.'Savient (NASDAQ: SVNT - News)Flir Systems (FLIRP): ' ... you look very closely at Monday nights '24' [TV show], you will see FLIR in action.'Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ - News): 'I want the real deal. Why don't you give me a little JNJ? Although some people don't like the quarter, not me.'Fuel Tech (NASDAQ: FTEK - News): 'One of the few pollution control stocks that actually makes a lot of money, and can do well.'Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN - News): ' ... will indeed blow away it [the quarter]...'
Bearish calls:
Teva Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: TEVA - News): 'TEVA - No! I do not like that stock. I don't want you near it. Sell, sell, sell!'Cnooc (NYSE: CEO - News): 'No. There was a time when I liked this stock ... I have backed away from this group. This is a Chinese crude oil stock. On any bounce, ka-ching, ka-ching. [sell].'Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM - News): 'A played out story. It reported that great quarter and it didn't move... I want you to sell, sell, sell!'

Labels: AAPL, BMRN, CEO, DEO, FTEK, Jim Cramer, JNJ, JWN, Lightning Round, NICE, RIMM, RPM, SVNT, TEVA, WB