Aug 12, 2026 · 44 min
Cramer weighs durable growth against market noise
Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer 8/12/26
The episode tests whether improving business fundamentals can outweigh disappointing guidance, competitive pressure, and shifting consumer demand.
- 1DraftKings and Uber show how investors can distinguish improving operations from short-term market reactions.
- 2Novo Nordisk’s oral GLP-1 launch brings adoption, pricing pressure, and Eli Lilly competition into sharper focus.
- 3Zoom and Coherent point to enterprise software and data-center infrastructure as durable technology growth themes.
Don't miss
Coherent CEO Jim Anderson connects strong results to accelerating optical-networking demand, copper-to-fiber replacement, and expanding data-center architecture.
The brief
Cramer opens by framing the central investment question: whether improving fundamentals can support a company’s future after the market has already reacted.
DraftKings’ customer growth and continued guidance prompt Cramer to revisit an earlier negative view, while Novo Nordisk faces a surprising stock reaction, oral GLP-1 adoption, pricing pressure, and Eli Lilly competition.
Zoom’s enterprise revival rests on AI-enabled collaboration and a broader workflow platform, while Uber’s strong revenue but disappointing guidance tests the case for growth stocks.
Coherent CEO Jim Anderson describes accelerating optical-networking demand, including copper-to-fiber replacement, data-center expansion, U.S. manufacturing, NVIDIA’s partnership, and possible Chinese-component restrictions.
The Lightning Round favors Vistra and Constellation Energy, then the restaurant discussion shifts to value, promotions, loyalty benefits, and the damage caused by excessive pricing.
What was said on this episode
31 statements · 28 positive · 2 negative · 1 neutral
A bull market always exists somewhere for investors to find.
“There's always a bull market somewhere, and I promise to help you find it.”
Listen at 0:07
NVIDIA chips retain value more like fine jewelry than depreciating cars.
“These chips aren't like cars that lose half their value the moment they drive with a lot. They're more like fine jewelry.”
Listen at 6:39
Benign bond markets will prompt analysts to raise data-center stock price targets.
“As long as the bond market stays benign, we can expect a course of shell-shocked analysts to raise their price targets on the data center stocks”
Listen at 8:07
Data-center stock prices remain below peaks and appear poised to rise.
“the prices are still below their peaks and now they seem primed to go higher.”
Listen at 8:22
Cramer now views DraftKings favorably after previously being wrong.
“Well, I like DraftKings. I have been wrong.”
Listen at 9:18
Novo Nordisk’s obesity and diabetes businesses are highly profitable.
“their obesity and diabetes businesses are now printing money.”
Listen at 11:08
Novo Nordisk’s pill launch is the best pharmaceutical product launch ever.
“this makes this launch the best product launch in the history of pharmaceuticals.”
Listen at 12:48
Novo Nordisk improved guidance and exceeded consensus expectations.
“we improved guidance, actually, and beat the consensus quite a bit.”
Listen at 13:24
Novo Nordisk substantially reduced Ozempic and Wegovy prices.
“we reduced the prices of Ozempic and Vigovie tremendously.”
Listen at 14:03
Eli Lilly has been gaining GLP-1 market share from Novo Nordisk.
“Lilly has been gaining market share.”
Listen at 15:01
Novo Nordisk’s pill reduced weight 17% versus Eli Lilly’s pill at 12% in separate trials.
“We have introduced the pill. that reduces your weight by 17%. Lily's Pill reduces your weight by 12%”
Listen at 17:49
Novo Nordisk may report better numbers than currently expected.
“I think that you may be able to have better numbers than you think.”
Listen at 19:02
Novo Nordisk’s pill could change the company’s direction.
“I believe it can change the direction of the company.”
Listen at 21:11
Zoom beat earnings expectations in 19 of its last 20 quarters.
“They've beaten earnings in 19 of the last 20 quarters”
Listen at 24:39
Zoom’s technology helps it win and retain enterprise customers.
“Zoom has the best technology, which keeps helping them win new customers and hang on to those customers, especially in the enterprise.”
Listen at 25:48
Zoom’s enterprise business is currently thriving.
“I think the real story is that Zoom's business is now thriving with companies.”
Listen at 26:51
Zoom is undervalued at 17.5 times current-year earnings estimates.
“Zoom trades at just 17.5 times this year's earnings estimates, way too cheap versus its renaissance.”
Listen at 27:08
Investors should buy Zoom tomorrow.
“You've got permission to buy it tomorrow.”
Listen at 27:37
Uber will become a major successful company like Cramer’s prior picks.
“I said that Uber would be big. All three of the former, they all work. I'm telling you, this is number four, and it'll work, too.”
Listen at 28:23
Coherent expects substantial future growth from optical networking.
“we think there's just tremendous growth ahead of us.”
Listen at 32:05
Remaining copper data-center connections will gradually convert to optical.
“that will start to convert to optical over time.”
Listen at 32:46
Coherent can build critical high-IP components in the United States.
“we can absolutely build those in the U.S. And we're doing that today.”
Listen at 33:45
A ban on Chinese data-center components would benefit Coherent.
“certainly something like that would be beneficial to us.”
Listen at 35:51
Recursion Pharmaceuticals needs to produce results soon because it is reporting losses.
“it better come up with something soon, because right now all it is coming up is losses”
Listen at 37:41
Cramer prefers Cloudflare over Fastly.
“I still like Cloudflare more”
Listen at 38:06
Cramer views NextEra Energy negatively and senses trouble.
“I don't like NextEra. I sense trouble.”
Listen at 38:22
Huntington Ingalls is effectively the only game in town and performs well.
“I think that that's the only that's the only game in town, frankly, I think they do with a good job.”
Listen at 39:00
Vistra and Constellation Energy are oversold and attractive investments.
“I like Vistra and I like Constellation Energy. I think these things are oversold and they make a ton of sense.”
Listen at 39:21
Local restaurants are cutting prices as food costs decline.
“local restaurants, the opposite of the big national chains, are cutting prices as their costs come down.”
Listen at 40:39
Independent local restaurants have gained market share for six months.
“local mom and pop eaters have been taking market share for six months.”
Listen at 40:44
Texas Roadhouse stock rose from $169 to $214 in three months.
“its stock has moved from $169 to $214 in just three months.”
Listen at 42:50
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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