Jan 6, 2026 · 44 min
Cramer maps 2026 investing bets after 2025’s market surprises
Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer 1/5/26
The episode tests whether 2025’s winners, losers, and unexpected rally offer useful signals for navigating a riskier 2026.
- 1Cramer uses 2025’s S&P 500 and NASDAQ 100 winners to frame his 2026 investing strategy.
- 2Memory and data-storage companies dominated the market review, highlighting how sector leadership shaped the year’s gains.
- 3Viewer calls sharpen the divide between companies with solid fundamentals and speculative stocks carrying substantially higher risk.
Don't miss
Cramer explains how stocks rose across the board in 2025 despite tariff fears and widespread predictions of a major decline.
The brief
Jim Cramer opens with a 2026 game plan and calls on viewers to manage more of their own money, then turns to the market’s biggest lessons from 2025.
His S&P 500 review emphasizes the dominance of data-storage and memory companies, while the NASDAQ 100 shows how technology leadership helped drive broader outperformance.
The Lightning Round moves from Voyager Technologies and Immunome to Nokia, Apple, and X-Ray Vision, repeatedly separating speculative opportunities from stronger business fundamentals.
Cramer’s central puzzle is why stocks advanced despite tariff fears and predictions of a major decline; his answer focuses on the forces that carried markets higher.
The episode’s practical takeaway is less a stock tip than a filter: distinguish durable businesses from high-risk stories before treating last year’s winners as 2026 guides.
What was said on this episode
26 statements · 21 positive · 5 negative
Investors should own individual stocks alongside index funds rather than trade them.
“along with an index fund, I want you to own individual stocks, not trade them.”
Listen at 0:55
Trading Venezuela-related stocks is likely to produce suboptimal long-term returns.
“I think this kind of trading is really ill-advised. Long term, I believe it's going to give you suboptimal returns.”
Listen at 5:23
JPMorgan and Citigroup remain unusually cheap relative to the broader market.
“based on their valuations, these stocks are still outrageously cheap versus the rest of the market.”
Listen at 6:04
Goldman Sachs stock is worth buying at its current valuation.
“That's worth buying.”
Listen at 6:29
Citigroup will exceed current-year earnings estimates.
“I think Citi will exceed those estimates, continuing its resurrection from the dead.”
Listen at 6:45
Capital One stock remains buyable after acquiring Discover.
“It's not too late to buy the stock.”
Listen at 7:24
Johnson & Johnson is an attractive entry point after its decline.
“I think it's a terrific entry point, even down three.”
Listen at 8:02
ServiceNow remains too expensive at 42 times earnings.
“I think that at 42 times earnings, that's a PE multiple. It's still a little too high for me.”
Listen at 9:14
Investors should buy more Affirm because its stock may reach $100.
“Oh, you should buy more, Robert. I think that stock is going to par, which is genuine Wall Street jibbers for $100.”
Listen at 10:36
“So it wouldn't shock me if these memory stocks keep running.”
Listen at 14:04
Robinhood has an attractive long-term investment story.
“I really like Robinhood for a long term story, for better or worse.”
Listen at 14:42
A $34 bid would likely win Warner Bros. Discovery.
“Look, if someone comes in with a $34 bid, I think they get it.”
Listen at 15:36
A high dividend yield often signals underlying problems rather than opportunity.
“Remember, a high yield is often the sign of real problems, not just a juicy opportunity.”
Listen at 18:18
Most downside in Deckers Brands and Hoka is already reflected in valuation.
“I think most of the pain... In Decker's and Hoka is already baked in with a stock trading at about 16 times this year's earnings estimates.”
Listen at 18:58
Palantir remains worth holding despite its high valuation.
“I see no reason to back away from it now.”
Listen at 22:33
Applovin is recommendable because its underlying business is not highly speculative.
“And that's why I'm more comfortable recommending this one, because even though Apple oven trades like a speculative stock, the business really isn't that speculative.”
Listen at 23:41
Intel is moving in the right direction under its new CEO.
“I am confident it is indeed headed in the right direction.”
Listen at 24:32
Investors seeking Bitcoin exposure should avoid Strategy.
“My view, if you want Bitcoin exposure, avoid this one. There's better ways, okay?”
Listen at 25:11
Investors seeking enterprise software exposure should choose Salesforce over Atlassian.
“If you want to bet on enterprise software and come back in 2026, this is not the one to go to. Go to Salesforce, okay?”
Listen at 26:10
PayPal may become an unignorable value opportunity in 2026.
“maybe 2026 is the year when PayPal becomes too cheap to ignore.”
Listen at 27:07
Voyager Technologies is a good speculative investment.
“I think it's a very good speculation.”
Listen at 37:13
Immunome is speculation rather than a genuine investment.
“if you want to speculate on it, fine. But we do not think that you're investing.”
Listen at 37:43
Apple stock has reached an attractive level for partial buying.
“I think there's a pretty good level to buy some Apple.”
Listen at 38:21
X-Ray Vision represents value and should be bought for long-term holding.
“I think it absolutely represents some value here. I'm glad you brought it to my attention. I'm going to suggest that you buy some and put it away.”
Listen at 39:04
Bank stocks will continue rising because of their M&A strength.
“The banks, famous for their M&A power, were screaming higher today from the get-go, just like 2025, and I think they'll continue to do so.”
Listen at 41:25
Long-term rates, inflation, and presidential policies will not crush stocks in 2026.
“I actually don't believe any of that will happen.”
Listen at 43:25
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
Books & mentions
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