Jim Cramer Discussed 10 Stocks Leading the Dow Higher in 2025

1. 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 82

Cramer noted that 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) saw its fair share of trouble with lawsuits till its new CEO took the helm.

“Well, let’s start with the year’s biggest winner so far, 3M. This one’s [a] fabulous conglomerate, used to have new products that… created entire markets out of nothing… but then 3M got caught up in forever chemical lawsuits that wouldn’t go away. I was appalled, by the way, at the disclosure of these because they were buried in footnotes when a former CEO retired. Then the new CEO, Mike Roman came in.”

Cramer commented that Roman inherited significant legal challenges but successfully settled the major lawsuits, reducing risk for the company. He highlighted that in 2022, Roman spun off 3M’s healthcare division into a new company, Solventum. While Cramer agreed that the move helped remove existential risk, he wished that it had not been spun off, believing the healthcare division was a valuable part of 3M’s (NYSE:MMM) portfolio. Despite this, he acknowledged Roman’s role in stabilizing the company.

“Now, in May of ‘24, Bill Brown, former CEO of L3Harris, took over 3M. This guy’s known as an incredibly tough hombre, a guy who’s in a hurry to get things done. I think that the old 3M, one that my father once worked for, is back. I await the innovations that will remind me of the halcyon days when this company used to be known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. In the meantime, Wall Street’s getting reacquainted with 3M and the market increasingly likes what it sees. I know, I gotta tell you, I think it’s terrific.”

3M (NYSE:MMM) offers a wide range of technological products in sectors such as safety, industrial, transportation, electronics, and consumer goods, including abrasives, safety gear, automotive solutions, and household items.

While we acknowledge the potential of 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MMM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.