9 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Radar

2. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 86

Cramer commented on the global healthcare company, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), as he said:

“How about Merck? Okay, now here’s a company with the single greatest anti-cancer franchise of all time. It’s called Keytruda, but I think it’s not getting enough credit for an acquisition it made in 2021, that was the purchase of Acceleron for $11.5 billion. With that acquisition, they got this drug called Winrevair. It is approved by the FDA, just this last year for an almost always fatal disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension.”

Cramer discussed Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) drug Winrevair, highlighting a statement from the company’s CEO, Rob Davis. According to Cramer, Davis, who has a non-promotional approach, described the drug as something that has “pulled people back from the brink of death.” Cramer also pointed out that Davis mentioned that people who used the drug are now ‘alive and may have to go back to work again’. In response to this, Cramer humorously remarked, “win some, lose some.” He went on to add:

“They (the company) also have a shot, Gardasil, that protects against HPV. It’s [a] very common STD, that can cause cervical cancer. It’s a true lifesaver. Women have been using it for years. [The] Chinese government recently approved it for men too. But for some reason, Merck’s having a problem with its Chinese distribution and women. Weird situation going on over there. Right now, the stock’s well-ensconced a few points around 52-week low.”

Cramer expressed that he does not believe Merck (NYSE:MRK) stock will remain at its current low level for long. However, he also acknowledged that he can’t predict exactly how long it will take for the stock to recover. Musing whether this meant investors should sell, Cramer responded, “Sure, if you’re a day trader, but not if you’re an investor.”