We recently compiled a list of the Jim Cramer’s 10 Handpicked Stocks to Watch. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) stands against Jim Cramer’s other handpicked stocks.
In a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer expressed concern that there’s too much negativity in the market despite recent movements. He pointed out that while the Dow gained 38 points on Wednesday, the S&P fell 1.16%, and the NASDAQ dropped 3%, people seemed overly focused on what was going wrong. Although he’s not calling it a market bottom, he suggests it’s worth paying attention to what’s going right.
“On a day when the Dow inched up 38 points, the S&P dipped 1.16%, and the NASDAQ declined 3%, I’m willing to declare that there’s too much doom and gloom out there. Look, I’m not trying to call a bottom, let’s make that crystal clear, but I think it’s worth taking a hard look at what’s actually going right—not just what’s going wrong.”
Cramer emphasized that even though the market has been strong this year, heading into a historically tough election season and the worst month of the year means it’s not the time to declare everything is fine. He noted that according to his trusted S&P oscillator, which measures overbought or oversold conditions, the market isn’t oversold yet, so it’s risky to go all-in.
“Sure, the market’s up a lot this year as we head into a tricky election period and historically the worst month of the year. So, only a fool would ring the all-clear bell. Plus, we aren’t even oversold yet—at least not according to the S&P oscillator I swear by, which gauges whether there’s too much buying or selling compared to normal times. You don’t go all-in when the market is overbought like it is now; that rarely works.”
Cramer also countered the idea that a recession is inevitable due to the Federal Reserve’s struggle to control the economy. He agreed the economy is slowing, which is why consumer packaged goods and utility stocks are rallying while more sensitive sectors are struggling.
“At the risk of sounding too bullish, let me refute some of the biggest and baddest stories out there. First, let’s tackle the popular narrative that the economy is slowing at a faster pace than the Federal Reserve can control, leading to an inevitable recession. That’s why consumer packaged goods stocks and utilities are rallying while economically sensitive stocks have been crushed. I won’t deny that the economy is weakening.”
However, he stressed that a Fed rate cut is meant to counter economic weakness, not strength, and hoping for a rate cut while ignoring the downturn is unrealistic. He added that if the upcoming labor report is weak, recession-proof stocks may surge, but if it’s strong, hopes for a rate cut will fade.
“But let’s be realistic: You can’t hope for a Fed rate cut without acknowledging that there’s going to be some economic fallout. The Fed doesn’t cut rates when business is booming. That’s foolish thinking. Rate cuts are meant to combat economic weakness, not strength. If Friday’s labor report is weak, sure, we might see a huge rally in the so-called “recession-proof” stocks. But if the non-farm payroll number is too strong, forget about any rate cut hopes. You can’t have it both ways.”
Our Methodology
The article summarizes a recent episode of Jim Cramer’s Mad Money, where he discussed and recommended several stocks. This article focuses on ten companies that Cramer highlighted and examines how hedge funds perceive these stocks. The companies are ranked based on their level of hedge fund ownership, starting with the least owned and moving to the most owned.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A team of developers working in unison to create the company’s messaging application.
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 219
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) lost $251 billion in market capitalization on February 3, 2022. However, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has since rebounded significantly, climbing 116%, while the S&P 500 only gained 23% over the same period. Cramer used this example to illustrate that major market dips can lead to substantial future gains for investors who buy in during these downturns.
“Stocks can’t stabilize until these weak shareholders sell out. History shows that significant market drops like this tend to offer great buying opportunities. For example, Meta Platforms shed $251 billion in market cap on February 3rd, 2022, but since then, it’s rallied 116%, outperforming the S&P’s 23% gain over the same period.”
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META), the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is leveraging its vast user base and leading position in digital advertising to achieve substantial growth. In Q2 2024, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) reported record revenue of $32 billion, a 12% increase from the previous year, driven by robust digital ad sales. Its net income more than doubled to $9.2 billion from $4.4 billion a year earlier, with earnings per share reaching $3.29, surpassing analyst expectations.
This financial performance is bolstered by a rise in daily active users to 3.07 billion across its platforms. A major factor behind Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s positive outlook is its focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) has made significant strides with AI-powered advertising tools that improve targeting and ad efficiency. Additionally, AI-driven content recommendations on Instagram and Facebook Reels have increased user engagement. Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META)’s investment in the metaverse through its Reality Labs division is also a key growth driver, aiming to create an immersive digital environment.
Mar Vista Focus strategy stated the following regarding Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
“During the quarter, we established new investments in Broadcom and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META). We previously divested from Meta during a period of stagnant advertising growth and the company’s initial, significant investment in the metaverse project. At that time, investors appeared complacent to the risks associated to an increasingly competitive landscape, and the Street’s robust financial expectations as the company transitioned towards monetizing short-format video (Reels). The subsequent decline in Meta’s stock price during 2022 reflected these concerns.
Since then, Meta has demonstrably shifted its strategic focus. The company has prioritized operational efficiency, implemented strategies to monetize Reels effectively, and initiated a robust artificial intelligence (AI) development program. We believe the focus on AI represents a more prudent capital allocation strategy compared to the earlier metaverse initiative. Meta AI holds significant potential to unlock substantial monetization opportunities and enhance user engagement, while maintaining tight controls on operating costs…” (Click here to read the full text)
Overall META ranks 2nd on our list of Jim Cramer’s handpicked stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of META as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than META but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
