Jim Cramer Blog

Despite the passage of federal bailout package, Jim Cramer told viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show that he did not trust this market.
He reminded investors to sell into any moments of strength and play defensively as the details of the bailout plan begin to play out.
Cramer then shifted his attention to Wachovia (WB), saying its shareholders have good reason for hope after some nifty behind-the-scene moves by CEO Bob Steel.
Cramer praised Steel for working out a deal with Wells Fargo (WFC).
He admitted he was wrong when he placed Steel on his "Wall of Shame" list of the worst CEOs on Monday. He said he did so because he was disheartened by the federal government's decision to sell Wachovia's assets to Citigroup (C) and the fact that Steel had not come forward to defend his position.
However, after today's announcement of a deal with Wells Fargo, Cramer said he had an entirely different view of Steel.
UPFilling the empty slot in the Wall of Shame, Cramer added Sen. Harry Reid (D., Nev.) for a comment he made Wednesday that a major insurance company was preparing for bankruptcy.
Cramer said that irresponsible comment caused the stocks of Prudential (PRU), MetLife (MET) and Hartford (HIG) to suffer double-digit percentage drops.
Cramer said Reid deserved to be on the Wall of Shame for adding fear to an already fearful market.
Cramer said he's evaluating the industrial stocks by two simple measures: their dividend yield and how much cash they have on the balance sheet. Earlier in the week, he recommended KBR (KBR), a company where two-fifths of its marketcap is cash.
Tonight he recommended two other companies that he says are approaching the "value" threshold. The first on his radar screen is steelmaker Nucor (NUE), with its 3.6% dividend yield. The company was downgraded today by an analyst at Merrill Lynch. With a share price below $30, Cramer said Nucor is solid value stock.
Cramer also recommended Freeport McMoran (FCX), a stock which he owns for his charitable trust, Action Alerts PLUS, as another company close to a value moniker. With a 4.4% dividend yield, Cramer said he's beginning to buy additional shares to reinforce his position for his trust.
Admittedly, Cramer said gold and steel prices continue to fall, but in the case of Freeport, the stock has fallen from a high of $127 to $44 today. With such a decline, Cramer believes the downside has to be minimal going forward.
Published By TheStreet.com

Labels: C, Citigroup Inc., FCX, Hartford, HIG, Jim Cramer, KBR, Mad Money, Mad MOney Recap, MET, MetLife, NUE, PRU, Prudential, Wachovia, WB, Wells Fargo, WFC

CEO Wall of Shame. Cramer still has Citibank (C) CEO Chuck Prince at the top of his Wall of Shame, and thinks that he will be forced out this week after listening to a conference call. The next CEO is Motorola's (MOT) Ed Zander. Lastly, Patrica Russo of Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) rounds out the top three. Although he has their CEO on the Wall of Shame, Cramer thinks that Motorola is a stock to buy because Carl Ichan owns a large position in the stock, plus they announce their quarterly earnings on Friday, and Cramer thinks they might finally bottom out this quarter. Cramer also thinks that the company is worth $24.60 per share if it is broken up, which is 27% higher than the current price.
Cramer then went to the phones. The first caller asked about Kraft (KFT), and Cramer thinks the stock is low risk, high reward. The next caller asked about Research in Motion (RIMM), and Cramer thinks that it is taking a breather for the next couple of days.
CoPart (CPRT) Cramer analyzed a stock he has been waiting to bring up on the show for a while. CPRT has finally moved down enough from its highs that Cramer feels good about recommending it. The company is in the middle of a large stock buyback, and is going to continue to grow.
After the lightning round, Cramer talked about the buyout rumors surrounding Saks (SKS). Cramer doesn't think the stock jumped enough on the news, and he likes the stock anyway. Cramer believes SKS will be bought out around $23 - $24 per share, and it is worth up to $26.30 per share when compared to the buyout price Neiman Marcus got last year.
Mad Mail. The first email asked about Biogen (BIIB), and Cramer thinks that it could be bought out at $100. The next email asked about Hologic (HOLX), and Cramer is still bullish. The next email was about Petro China (PTR), which Cramer thinks is up too much.
Sudden Death. Cramer doesn't like Lloyd's (LYG), and recommended Allstate (ALL), Metlife (MET), or Prudential (PRU) instead. He does like Textainer Group (TGH).

Labels: ALL, ALU, BIIB, CPRT, Jim Cramer, KFT, LYG, Mad Money, Mad MOney Recap, MET, MOT, PRU, PTR, RIMM

Bullish:
China Mobile (CHL) instead of KONG
Enterprise Product Parners (EPD)
Schering-Plough (SGP),
Celgene (CELG),
Sanofi-Aventis (SNY): likes Novartis (NVS) and Schering-Plough (SGP) better
Manulife (MFC), Prudential (PRU), Metlife (MET): Likes all three
E-Trade Financial (ETFC): It's a buy.
Furmanite (FRM): Cramer prefers ITT.
ITT (ITT),
Transocean (RIG),
Schlumberger (SLB)
Hudson City (HCBK): Better than NYB.
Bearish:
KongZhong (KONG): Cramer recommended China Mobile (CHL) instead.
Pioneer Drill (PDC); Cramer wants you to sell this driller
NightHawk (NIHK): Don't buy
New York Community Bank (NYB): Cramer thinks Hudson City (HCBK) is a better bank.
MDU (MDU): Don't buy.

Labels: CELG, CHL, EPD, ETFC, FRM, ITT, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MET, MFC, NVS, PRU, RIG, SGP, SNY

Corning (NYSE: GLW - News): ' ... you want fiber... if you want voice, video... you have to go with Corning ... they're talking about the venerable fiber that Verizon is going to be using from GLW to snake in and out of apartments...'Microsoft (NasdaqGS: MSFT - News)Oracle (NasdaqGS: ORCL - News)Campbell Soup (NYSE: CPB - News): 'If anybody is possible to get a takeover bid, then CPB could do it. On the fundamentals, it's okay.'Invitrogen (NasdaqGS: IVGN - News): 'A very hot stock. Nucleic acids, enzymes. It does some pretty cool stuff...'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK - News): 'I took a lot of heat from the shorts, telling me that I was dead wrong... and they're wrong. NSTK is your speculative play. It has obesity. It has autism. It's got the special nasal way to get delivery for these things... It's got diabetes.'Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB - News): ' ... when they put Schlumberger on sale... when they make SLB 17x earnings, I'm going to send you to best of breed. That's my predilection.'Cameron International (NYSE: CAM - News): 'This stock was down 4. I like it.'Expeditors International (NasdaqGS: EXPD - News): 'It hit a 52-week high today. People always think about freight. They should be worried about logistics and freight. That's what EXPD does.'Allegheny Tech (NYSE: ATI - News): 'I need you to be in ATI under $100.'Progressive (NYSE: PGR - News): 'They're buying these high-quality pieces of paper that are yielding great. The earnings are going to explode for PGR!'Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU - News)MetLife (NYSE: MET - News)AllState (NYSE: ALL - News)Bearish calls:Synopsys (NasdaqGS: SNPS - News): 'Look, it's tech, so my bias is to like it but, if I'm going to be in software, I want to go into the biggest possible names, with the best balance sheets.'CommScope (NYSE: CTV - News)Southern Copper (NYSE: PCU - News): '... $90 before I would buy it, and the reason why is the holders are so bad... But this one has a 6% dividend. When it gets down to my level ... that's your chance to pull the trigger.'Coach (NYSE: COH - News):'COH has come down a lot, but I want to be careful. I'm not going to pull the trigger.'Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO - News): 'The FDO numbers were so bad that I'm making a prediction right here, right now, that Dollar General will be the first private equity deal to go bust.'Tribune (NYSE: TRB - News)Titanium Metals (NYSE: TIE - News): 'I don't want you messing with TIE.'
Published by SeekingAlpha

Labels: ALL, ATI, CAM, CPB, EXPD, GLW, IVGN, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, MET, MSFT, NSTK, ORCL, PGR, PRU, SLB

Here are 7 trading ideas for today. These lists come directly from the TradingMarkets Stock Indicators page and are based upon our latest quantitative research.
Bullish
5+ Consecutive Down Days: These are stocks that have closed down for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that close down for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Cephalon (NasdaqGS:CEPH) & Nokia (NYSE:NOK). CEPH's PowerRating is 7, and NOK's PowerRating is 6.
5+ Consecutive Lower Lows: These are stocks that have made a lower low for five or more consecutive days and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving average that make lower lows for five or more days have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Alberto-Culver (NYSE:ACV) & American International Group (NYSE:AIG). ACV's PowerRating is 6, and AIG's PowerRating is 6.
2-Period RSI Below 2: These are stocks that have a 2-period RSI reading below 2 and are trading above their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading above their 200-day moving with a 2-period RSI reading below 2 have shown positive returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Metlife (NYSE:MET). MET's PowerRating is 6.
Bearish
5+ Consecutive Up Days: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
TNS Incorporated (NYSE:TNS). TNS's PowerRating is 1.
5+ Consecutive Higher Highs: These are stocks that have made a higher high for five or more consecutive days and are trading below their 200-day moving average. Our research shows that stocks trading below their 200-day moving average that make higher highs for five or more days have shown negative returns, on average, 1-day, 2-days and 1-week later. Historically, these stocks have provided traders with a significant edge.
Robert Half International (NYSE:RHI). RHI's PowerRating is 4.
PowerRatings (for Traders) are courtesy of TradingMarkets.com

Labels: ACV, AIG, CEPH, Hot Stocks, MET, NOK, RHI, TNS

Bullish:
Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK): 'The company is mostly levered to natural gas... is CHK! Don't you dare sell CHK. That stock is going higher!'Viacom (NYSE: VIA-B): 'You want to play summer box office?... You buy Viacom which, although the news reports weren't that positive, that's wrong! That was a great quarter... VIA-B is your play my friend.'Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN)Qualcomm (NasdaqGS: QCOM)Protective Life (NYSE: PL): 'PL is solid too... I like that! ...Why couldn't PL get a bid?!... Let's see, the book value here is $34 bucks.... These can go out at two times book. That would put this stock at almost $70. It's at $50. I want to buy that!'MetLife (NYSE: MET)Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU)
Neutral calls:
Scientific Games (NasdaqGS: SGMS): 'I believe it's a decent stock. It's just not as great as I thought... It needs more momentum to break out from this level.'
Bearish calls:
Regal Entertainment (NYSE: RGC): 'I would have said that the chance has already come and gone ... It's run too much.'LSI Logic (NYSE: LSI): 'LSI, man. That was an awful quarter.'Republic Airways (NasdaqGS: RJET): 'Cheap. Cheap stock, but I am no longer recommending any of the airlines. They have had a really big run.'Yahoo! (NasdaqGS: YHOO): ' ... as long as Terry Semel's there - he's the CEO - you and I are not going to make any money... As a matter of fact, it's a dog. The board ought to get electroshock therapy.'Given Imaging (NasdaqGM: GIVN)Sysco (NYSE: SYY): 'I went through that conference call. I have got to tell you, they did not deliver. Sell, sell, sell!... Let's let it pull back to under $30, and then we'll pull the trigger.'Coach (NYSE: COH): 'I think you buy the handbags. The stock, I don't want to touch here. That quarter was not that great ... when it gets below $43, we can pull the trigger again.'
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: CHK, COH, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LSI, Mad Money, MET, PL, PRU, RGC, SGMS, SYY, TXN, VIA-B, YHOO

IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE - News): 'It is killing the shorts that stock. ... That stock is a fave along with CME and CBOT Holdings. This group is fantastic ... raising margin, raising price."Chicago Mercantile Exchange (NYSE: CME - News)CBOT Holdings (NYSE: BOT - News):' This group is fantastic ... raising margin, raising price.'Ciena (NasdaqGS: CIEN)Tellabs (NasdaqGS: TLAB)Progressive (NYSE: PGR - News): 'One of the highest-quality insurers in the world.'Prudential (NYSE: PRU - News): ' ... are the ultimate insurers in this country.'MetLife (NYSE: MET - News)United Online (NasdaqGS: UNTD): 'This company yields 5%. It's got momentum. It's doing well. ... United Online, you get a thumb up.'Sears (NasdaqGS: SHLD): 'The stock was down badly today. I know people want me to run, they want me to hide ... I'm not selling a share. ... I am a believer.'American Capital (NasdaqGS: ACAS): 'Eight percent yields ... consistently pilloried by the bears. ... I see 8% growth, sells at 13 times earnings; I see a stock that's going higher.'Public Service Enterprise (NYSE: PEG - News): 'Off of my electric bill alone, I would buy these guys.'Exelon (NYSE: EXC - News)Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK - News)Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED - News)Energy Metals (NYSEArca: EMU): 'Been marking time. ... very speculative stock ... I think there's more upside.'Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ - News): 'The only tech stock that we're really behind right now is Hewlett-Packard.'Bank of New York (NYSE: BK - News)Amgen (NasdaqGS: AMGN)
Bearish calls:
IPG Photonics (NasdaqGM: IPGP): 'All this stuff that goes into the big telecommunications world has turned very cold for me.'FoxHollow Technologies (NasdaqGS: FOXH): 'They gave away the upside when they made that deal with Merck .'Atmel (NasdaqGS: ATML): ' ... don't think there's any upside there.'
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Labels: ACAS, BK, BOT, CME, DUK, ED, EXC, HPQ, ICE, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, MET, PEG, PGR, PRU, SHLD, UNTD

Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY):' ... none of these is as good as Lundin or Yamana Gold. So let's just stick with the winners.'Lundin Mining (AMEX: LMC):Genco Shipping (NYSE: GNK): 'You've got a good one, I salute you, and keep the pressure on. Keep buying these stocks with good dividends.'MetLife (NYSE: MET)Prudential (NYSE: PRU)Manulife (NYSE: MFC)eBay (NasdaqGS: EBAY): 'I'm not ready yet to take the victory lap ... I didn't get back on the eBay horse until 28. I like this stock here. I don't want to sell it ... I feel strongly that we're in the first quarter of a major turn for eBay. ... The stock goes higher.'Toyota Motor (NYSE: TM): 'I think the stock's gonna be up pretty big now. ... the Japanese love a trend reversal ... that stock sees 125 by Friday.'Energy Metals (NYSEArca: EMU)Mosaic (NYSE: MOS)Brocade (NasdaqGS: BRCD): 'I think the stock works its way over time to 12.'EMC (NYSE: EMC): ' EMC went from 10 to 15. I think Brocade only will do the same.'Ameren (NYSE: AEE): 'Why is Ameren still independent? ... It should have been taken over by now. ... I want you to stick with it.'Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM): 'The shorts right now are in a House of Pain ... WaMu's doing better than we thought ... not as bad as what the shorts thought.'
Bearish calls:
Northgate Minerals (AMEX: NXG)Northern Orion (AMEX: NTO): 'Reminds me of Northgate Minerals ... but none of these is as good as Lundin or Yamana Gold. So let's just stick with the winners.'Uranerz Energy (AMEX: URZ): 'I think you should ring the register.'Intel (NasdaqGS: INTC): 'I'm not gonna be a bear on Intel down here, but it's simply Don'tBuy ... it's not expensive, it has a lot of cash. But there's nothing happening there that would make me recommend the stock.'

Labels: AEE, AUY, EMC, GNK, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, LMC, Mad Money, MET, MFC, MOS, NTO, NXG, PRU, TM, URZ, WM

Bullish Calls:
Celgene (NasdaqGS: CELG): 'I would much rather see you in something like a CELG. You know that CELG is my favorite play.'Nastech Pharmaceutical (NasdaqGM: NSTK)Incyte (NasdaqGM: INCY): 'If you want speculation ... I am going to direct you to ... INCY.'Corning (NYSE: GLW - News)W.R. Grace (NYSE: GRA - News): 'It's up 108% year over year and you know what? It's not done going up. GRA - specialty chemicals, construction... all sorts of a pastiche... I always liked it before the asbestos problem. I still like it now.'Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT): 'Now, c'mon man. We've been up 100%. We're up just an unbelievable amount on this thing. It's already up this year about 10%. It's pulled back. I say it's time to strike! Let's buy some more LVLT.'Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD - News): 'Mary Sammons may be one of the finest execs in the world, but I am the only guy who champions her!'Manulife Financial (NYSE: MFC - News): ' ... is the repository for some of the best mutual funds... If were doing this show from Canada, this would be the best of breed of our great country.'MetLife (NYSE: MET - News)Prudential Financial (NYSE: PRU - News)Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (NYSE: RIO - News): 'Oh, we got behind this one... RIO, at $40 bucks is still a buy. Why? Because there is a benign oligopoly of companies that own nickel mines ... RIO is going much higher.'Halliburton (NYSE: HAL - News): 'HAL has got that gigunda buyback going on. ('mon-back sound). The stock is finally moving. The whole group is rolling ... It's not done going up. It's going to keep going up.'Six Flags (NYSE: SIX - News): ' I still think Mark Shapiro is best in show. I think a ticket to Six Flags has to come down... I do like the stock at $6.'Cummins (NYSE: CMI - News):Magellan Midstream (NYSE: MMP - News): 'Now, you've got a nice 5% yield, so you're not going to be in any danger of getting hit too badly ... But! How can you not schnitzel a little after that big gain. Take some of that profit out. Start playing with the house's money!'Corning (NYSE: GLW - News): 'I'd rather see you in GLW. I'm not kidding. GLW. I think it's got some the same end markets and a better play.'Quicksilver (NYSE: KWK - News): ' ... load the boat up! That's my favorite name now that XTO Energy has moved up and rose...'Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY - News): 'Go into NLY for heaven's sake.'
Bearish calls:
ViroPharma (NasdaqGS: VPHM): ' I got hurt by this stock so bad, that I feel like I shouldn't really opine on it. It is not best of breed.'Opnext (NasdaqGS: OPXT): 'I got behind this one. It's bouncing nicely, but I've got to tell you, this decline was really awful.'Quiksilver (NYSE: ZQK - News): ' ... that's paid way too much for a bunch of snowboard names, outdoor equipment ... stay away from that one. If you need to be in that specialty apparel game, I am going to tell you, I am not your call ... it's too dangerous to me.'Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News): 'Holy cow! Is there a day this stock doesn't go down after that great quarter? Retail has become very, very tough.'Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM - News): 'It is not going to go down a lot, because it has a 3% yield, but I am not going to be tricked into recommending a tech stock. ... Don't buy, don't buy.'Paccar (NasdaqGS: PCAR): ' No, no, no. We're going to go with CMI, which just split. I like it much more.'Heelys (NasdaqGM: HLYS): 'No. C'mon. I mean, way overvalued. Sell, sell, sell! They've got to come up with something better than just an indoor thing.'HFF (NYSE: HF - News): 'No। Go into NLY for heaven's sake.'
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: BBY, CMI, GLW, GRA, HAL, Jim Cramer, KWK, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MET, MFC, MMP, NLY, PRU, RAD, RIO, SIX, TSM, ZQK

Wachovia (NYSE: WB - News), Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM - News), Prudential (NYSE: PRU - News), MetLife (NYSE: MET - News), AIG (NYSE: AIG - News) and Allstate (NYSE: ALL - News)
Cramer warns the shorts are going to make a comeback attack on financials and claim Tuesday's rally was merely a short squeeze. "That's the way to play it," said Cramer, who predicts the shorts may claim that WB will have to spend its dividend or WM is in "big trouble." However, Cramer likes insurance companies PRU and MET, but is a "little more concerned" about ALL because of sluggish growth. Although AIG had a "blowout quarter," he adds $70 is where former CEO Hank Greenberg "lives to sell the stock." Cramer would stay away from regional banks because of mortgage issues; "I could rumor down any of the regional banks right now," Cramer continued. They are easy to take down."

Labels: AIG, ALL, Jim Cramer, MET, PRU, Wall Street Confidential, WB, WM

Bullish calls:
Anglo American (Other OTC: AAUKF.PK - News): 'I was recommending AAUK at $25.60, but you know something? It's still there, but it's doubled ... I like it just as much, but not as much as AUY.'Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY - News)Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL - News): 'We like CAL on this program, because it was the first to turn, and the first to actually run like a business.'Arris Group (NasdaqGS: ARRS): ' I was very concerned. We recommended this stock lower, and then they did this acquisition - the Tanberg TV acquisition - I was kind of freaking out... It looks like people are liking it. The quarter was good ... I've got to stick with it, because the crowd likes the merger, and I like the earnings.'Crocs (NasdaqGS: CROX): 'Bears try to push it down. We're wise to their game ... When a company comes out with a great quarter, you hit it with everything you have; you knock it down, and then you try to get the bulls worried... It's the bears that are going to be wrong. CROX is going to roar back ... It's still the best trade around for the next 6 months.'Gardner Denver (NYSE: GDI - News): 'I felt that, when the air compressor group was all being taken over, a couple of weeks ago, we'd see a deal for GDI. This is a great compressor company.'Halliburton (NYSE: HAL - News): ' ... by the way, did anyone see Prince HAL changing to King HAL today, on a breakout? I still love the oil service plays.'MRV Communications (NasdaqGM: MRVC): 'I recommended the stock lower... maybe about 20% lower. It's a split-up play. I think you've got $5 in pin action here. I want you to hold it. Here's the deal: MRVC is one of these component plays that I think is going to get carried up, along with CSCO. I am not - for a minute - leaving this table, even though we're up about 20%. I want you to stay in.'Cisco (NasdaqGS: CSCO) Syngenta (NYSE: SYT - News): 'SYT's one of the sainted plays, along with BG, DE and MON, and LNDC. It is all about energy as corn, and corn as energy, and soy as energy, and all that stuff that means absolutely nothing, but we love on Mad Money. And you should stick with it.'Deere (NYSE: DE - News)Bunge (NYSE: BG - News)Monsanto (NYSE: MON - News)Landec (NasdaqGS: LNDC)MetLife (NYSE: MET - News): 'You know, stick with it. This is the best in show. This is the best of breed. It has surpassed everybody else in that industry. You've got a winner.'The Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG - News): 'People have been abandoning this stock left and right since the tender offer. I think that's a mistake. I want to step up, ahead of the spring planting season.'Rofin-Sinar Techs (NasdaqGS: RSTI): 'When I do laser, I'm going with RSTI. That's the play.'
Neutral calls:
Systemax (NYSE: SYX - News): 'Why did I like this stock? You know what? I am not going to cuff this. I need more time on SYX. I liked it lower. I don't know whether to stick with it... '
Bearish calls:
Netease.com (NasdaqGS: NTES): 'I don't trust the communist Chinese! Don't buy, don't buy. Including NTES, and including BIDU.'Baidu.com (NasdaqGM: BIDU)IPG Photonics (NasdaqGM: IPGP): 'This is a laser stock and, you know when I do laser, I'm going with RSTI. That's the play.'Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE - News): 'Don't be a pig. This stock is up a total of 226% year over year. Take it off the table!'AirTran (NYSE: AAI - News): 'You know, I've looked at this. I think that this is a second-rate player.' We like CAL on this program, because it was the first to turn, and the first to actually run like a business.'JetBlue Airways (NasdaqGS: JBLU)NovaStar Financial (NYSE: NFI - News): 'No, no. no. You are not in the house of pain, my friend. You are in a virtual hemisphere of pain. You may be in a galaxy of pain. I feel that it's still not too late to sell NFI ... if you want to the bottom game - you are swimming where you can't see the bottom. Maybe it's 12 inches, maybe it's 12 feet. Anyway, it's too dangerous for me!'Florida Rock (NYSE: FRK - News): 'You sell FRK right now. You ring the register. You had a great hit. Don't give it back. You never know when the anti-trust department... is going to block that anti-competitive deal ... You're a winner. Let's find the next one!'Pfizer (NYSE: PFE - News): 'Oh, c'mon man! Get a life! Move on.'

Labels: AAI, AUY, BG, BIDU, CAL, CSCO, DE, GDI, HAL, ICE, Jim Cramer, Lightning Round, Mad Money, MET, MON, NFI, NTES, SMG, SYT, SYX

On Speculation: Landec Corp (NasdaqGS: LNDC)
Cramer announced that he was going to discuss speculative stocks on Fridays to give investors a weekend to cool off before pulling the trigger on potentially risky companies. Friday's speculative play was LNDC, a $12 stock that, according to Cramer, is in the hottest part of one of the hottest sectors, which is seed technology. LNDC's technology, "intellicoat," prevents seeds from germinating and absorbing water too early, and allows farmers to plant up to four weeks ahead of time. Cramer says, "if corn is the next oil, LNDC is the equivalent of a pressure pumper that gets more oil out of the well." He advised investors to use limit orders and not to buy an entire position at one time.
The Week Ahead: Prudential (NYSE: PRU - News), Metlife (NYSE: MET - News), Aon Corp (NYSE: AOC - News)
Cramer commented that he doesn't like the market here, that the financials are "acting terrible," the real estate market is a "total collapsed bubble," and that gold, "ever the enemy of paper" is going up and that gold investors should take profits. In this "glass is half-empty" environment, Cramer warns of selloffs in even the best companies, and suggests buying only half of the intended amount and making a move at the end of the week after the "selling squall." He likes Prudential, which reported a "beautiful quarter," AOC, and MET, which is best-of-breed and is the "big sleeper" of next week with 10% accelerated growth. Cramer would buy it before and after its earnings report and recommends patience if it doesn't rise immediately.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG - News) and Denny's (NasdaqCM: DENN)
Concerning CMG and DENN, Cramer says he doesn't mind fact that these companies have debt because their financials are still good, they can refinance at low rates thanks to the strong bond market, and can raise earnings per share by decreasing interest payments. He calls Denny's a "bad going to good" story, but would wait, and calls CMG a "good going to better" story which will have a "fantastic quarter." However, Cramer would hold off until CMG gets hit and would buy it low.

Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM - News), Baidu.com (NasdaqGM: BIDU), Psychiatric Solutions (NasdaqGS: PSYS)LTM has "come in a tad" from where Cramer recommended it as a generational play, but he would still buy it as a long-term stock. He comments that BIDU has just a fraction of Google's value and better growth potential, but is in a precarious position because of China's Communist government. Since BIDU tends to trade wildly after it reports, he would use a downturn as an opportunity to buy it cheaply. Cramer notes that PSYS' management has been bullish ahead of the quarter, and would buy some stocks ahead of time, since PSYS has been acquiring companies, and Cramer expects a "big number bump" next week.

Masco Corp. (NYSE: MAS - News), KBH Home (NYSE: KBH - News), Daktronics (NasdaqGS: DAKT), Reliance Steel (NYSE: RS - News)
Cramer would ring the register on MAS before it reports, since it has had a big run. He predicts that KBH will see a huge selloff, and would sell it before it reports and buy the stock back lower. Cramer likes DAKT which is "remaking the billboard industry in its own digital image" and is building huge billboards at sports stadiums. He would use the 8% dip as an opportunity to get in before it reports. Cramer would take profits in RS because it has risen 8 points since he recommended it.
Published By SeekingAlpha

Labels: AOC, BIDU, CMG, DAKT, DENN, KBH, LNDC, LTM, MAS, MET, PRU, PSYS, RS

Stocks are set to open little changed following a mixed round of corporate news. Forty-five minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures indicated that the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) might fall 15 to 20 points in early trading. The NASDAQ ($COMPQ) is expected to open modestly lower as well.Apple Computer (AAPL) might give back some of its recent gains after Cisco (CSCO) said it was suing the computer maker over its new iPhone. Cisco filed the papers in the US District Court in San Francisco and alleges that the name violates a trademark. AAPL, which has soared $11.95, or 14% this week while the company has unveiled new products at the MacWorld Expo, is trading down 45 cents to $96.55. CSCO is off 2 pennies to $28.66 a share.
Genentech (DNA) is set to gap higher after the company reported earnings of 56 cents a share, which easily topped analyst estimates of 46 cents. DNA is up $1.65 to $85.39 overseas. NYSE Group (NYX) is in focus following reports that the company might be working toward forging an alliance with the Tokyo Stock Exchange. NYX rose 75 cents to $108.96. Metlife (MET) might see action after UBS upgraded shares to “buy” from “neutral.”
In economic news, the latest weekly jobless claims came in better than expected. According to the Labor Department, filings for jobless benefits fell by 30,000 to 299,000 in the week ended January 5. No other economic stats are due out Thursday.
Currency markets are volatile today after the Bank of England rattled the markets with a surprise rate hike. The central bank lifted its benchmark rate to 5.25% from 5%, citing a buoyant housing market, inflationary pressures, and strength in the services sector. The British pound ripped to seven-month highs against the Euro following the move. The dollar initially sold off against the euro, but is now trading higher against it and the Japanese yen. US bonds traded down following the overseas rate hike. The benchmark ten-year Treasury note is off 7 ticks and its yield is breaking through the 4.7% level. Crude oil prices are down for the fourth time this week. Crude is off 63 cents to a seven-month low of $53.39 a barrel. Gold is sitting near unchanged.
For stocks, the outlook is for mixed trading Thursday morning. There simply isn’t enough economic news to drive the overall market one way or the other. Energy-related names might see early weakness as crude oil continues its recent plunge. The Cisco suit might hold tech back. Yet, the earnings and economic news has been mostly positive and that should offer a floor of support for stocks heading into data on retail sales, import/export prices, and business inventories due out tomorrow morning.
Frederic Ruffy

Labels: AAPL, DNA, MET, NYX

CHANGE IN RATINGS
Arbitron (ARB - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) upgraded at Bear: ARB was upgraded from Peer Perform to Outperform at Bear Stearns. Company is making progress in its PPM rollout, which should help drive the stock.
CACI International (CAI - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) downgraded at Wachovia: CAI was downgraded to Market Perform at Wachovia. Sudden departure of the CFO increases concern about the company's near-term direction.
Gol Airlines (GOL - commentary - Cramer's Take) coverage resumed at Morgan Stanley: Morgan Stanley resumes coverage of Gol Airlines with an overweight rating and a $37 price target.
Level 3 (LVLT - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) rated new Outperform at Credit Suisse: Credit Suisse is initiating coverage on LVLT with an Outperform rating. Believes company will continue to see strong demand driven by higher data usage. Sets $7.50 target price.
MetLife (MET - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) upgraded at UBS: MET upgraded to Buy rating from Neutral at UBS. Price target lifts to $71 from $64. 2007 eps estimates bumps to $5.27 from $5.23.
Tidewater (TDW - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) coverage initiated at Goldman Sachs: Goldman is initiating coverage on TDW with a Sell rating. See lower utilization and declining dayrates for company's old fleet. Price target at $43.
United Surgical (USPI - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) downgraded at Deutsche: USPI was downgraded from Buy to Hold at Deutsche Bank. $31 price target. Do not expect the company to receive a better takeover offer before next month.
STOCK COMMENTS / EPS CHANGES
Boeing (BA - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) numbers raised at UBS: BA numbers raised at UBS. Price target jumps to $82 from $76. 2007 eps estimates lift to $4.85 from $4.80. Reiterates Reduce rating.
Conoco Phillips (COP - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) price target cut at Goldman: Goldman is cutting its target on COP to $76 from $83 after company reported disappointing year-end reserve data. Believe data supports long-term strength in oil prices, and that Conoco fundamentals remain strong. Maintain Buy rating.
Genentech (DNA - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) price target raised at Goldman: Goldman is upping its target on DNA to $102 from $95 due to strong sales of Lucentis, Rituxan and Avastin. Company guidance was above both Goldman and consensus estimates. Maintained Buy rating.
Guitar Center (GTRC - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) estimates cut at Piper: Piper is cutting its 2007 estimates on GTRC to $2.74 a share due to lower expectations for top-line growth following weak Q4 sales. Maintained Outperform rating.
j2 Global (JCOM - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) numbers lowered: JCOM numbers lowered at Jefferies. Price target drops to $27 from $28. 2007 eps estimates lowered to $1.50 from $1.57. Reiterates Hold rating.
Urban Outfitters (URBN - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) numbers raised at Piper: Piper is raising its target price on URBN from $17 to $28 to reflect improved earnings outlook. Maintained Market Perform rating.
Waters (WAT - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating)numbers raised at UBS: WAT numbers raised at UBS. Price target jumps to $57 from $52. 2007 eps estimates lift to $2.60 from $2.54. Reiterates Neutral rating.
Published by thestreet.com

Labels: ARB, BA, CAI, COP, DNA, GOL, GTRC, JCOM, LVLT, MET, TDW, URBN, USPI, WAT