Jim Cramer on The Gap, Inc. (GAP): ‘I’d Definitely Be A Buyer Ahead Of The Quarter’

We recently compiled a list of the Jim Cramer Is Focused on These 15 Stocks This Week. In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) stands against the other stocks Jim Cramer is focused on this week.

Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, recently addressed some of the major events for Wall Street this week, focusing on earnings reports and investor days of various companies. With post-election jitters affecting the market, he warned investors to proceed with caution, as uncertainty looms over the economic landscape.

Cramer referred to Trump’s unpredictable nature, saying, “He is mercurial. Turns out he’s capricious.” Reflecting on the mood among investors, Cramer remarked that many were asking themselves, “What were we thinking?” as they processed the aftermath of the election.

He also noted the unsettling impact of Trump’s appointments to key administration positions, saying that “heads are turning” in response to some of these picks, and suggested that investors might soon feel the air leaving the post-election optimism that had initially lifted the market.

Cramer went on to caution that while there are certainly opportunities in individual stocks, especially in the wake of Trump’s policies, many stocks are still trading at levels far above where they were just a few months ago. He explained:

“Look, I’ve told you that there are many pitfalls with individual stocks when it comes to Trump 2.0. Most of them are buying opportunities but with stocks still up so much from a few months ago, you can’t be too eager to buy the dips.”

READ ALSO Jim Cramer on Microsoft and Other Stocks and Jim Cramer’s Best Performers List: Top 10 Stocks

Despite new stocks sparking interest, Cramer emphasized that he needed more time to assess market conditions before making any significant moves. He expressed a preference for waiting, stating that he doesn’t like to buy stocks only to watch them decline immediately after, a scenario he feels is likely if he rushes in too soon.

Cramer concluded by summarizing his outlook on the market, saying:

“So let me give you the bottom line: Even though the post-Trump rally hangover has been vicious, it still hasn’t taken most of the market down to levels where I think it makes sense to buy. Now, I just gave you some nuggets. I think they could be golden, but I think it’s more important to prepare yourself for better opportunities, at least in the near future.”

Our Methodology

For this article, we compiled a list of 15 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money on November 15 and listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them.

Why are we interested in 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 medical professional in a lab coat holding a non-invasive glucose monitoring device.

The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP)

Cramer mentioned The Gap, Inc.’s (NYSE:GAP) CEO and commented that it has been misjudged.

“Thursday gets easier, right? Gap reports. I’d definitely be a buyer ahead of the quarter. The stock’s back to $21, I can’t believe it. CEO Richard Dickson is reinventing this place and I think it represents tremendous value for aspirational accessible apparel. Now, it’s come down, thanks to tariff worries, but I think that’s looking good. The Gap, wow. I think it’s being looked [at] through the wrong lens. I think it’s a very inexpensive stock.”

Gap (NYSE:GAP) is an apparel retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children. Despite facing challenges in recent years, the company has seen a positive shift in its performance. In May, it reported a significant milestone: for the first time in seven years, all four of its brands experienced growth in quarterly comparable sales.

A key factor in this turnaround has been the leadership of Richard Dickson, who became CEO of the company last year. Dickson, known for his successful transformation of Mattel’s Barbie brand, was seen as the right person to revive Gap Inc. His approach has centered on clarifying the identities of the company’s brands and recovering from the strategic missteps that had hindered growth.

Dickson’s confidence in Gap’s (NYSE:GAP) progress comes from several areas, including the success of Gap’s recent Linen Moves line, which introduced a collection of higher-quality linen clothing, and the continued strength of Old Navy. As one of the company’s most important brands, Old Navy accounts for nearly half of Gap Inc.’s total sales and has benefitted from what Dickson describes as “clarity and conviction.”

Overall GAP ranks 12th on our list of stocks Jim Cramer is focused on this week. While we acknowledge the potential of GAP 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GAP but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.

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