Jim Cramer Recently Put These 10 Stocks Under Spotlight

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

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 91

A caller asked if they should buy more Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), highlighting the stock’s recent decline. Cramer replied:

“Merck is, you know what, Rob Davis does a good job. Merck is all hung up on the fact that Keytruda is the only real drug, big drug they have. Look, I’m going to say something that could get me in trouble, but I like Merck at this level. I really do. But I’ve gotta tell you and… you know, I play it straight. I like Bristol-Myers a lot more, BMY. I like it a lot more because their schizophrenia drug is on the come [up].”

Merck (NYSE:MRK) is a well-known worldwide healthcare corporation dedicated to the research, development, and marketing of a wide range of pharmaceutical products. Appearing on Squawk on the Street on February 19, Cramer said:

“Although Merck, is, maybe the ultimate laggard. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Merck perform this badly. Here’s this stock, distinguished from the company, which actually got hurt by a decision by the Chinese to not give their people two hundred million vaccines, GARDASIL, RFK, maybe it’s kind of a reciprocal thing [laughs]. . .it’s great vaccine, you may not like vaccines, but great vaccine, and the, the Chinese have chosen not to use it, they haven’t, and some of it’s with a wholesaler that apparently can’t give anymore to because they don’t have enough money. But that’s the one I’m. . . .that used to be called saint Merck, and I know it’s not high growth anymore but wow, I think it’s worth looking at because it trades like a bad tack.

… No, in the way of what’s really going with some of these drug companies. The loss of, they have a loss of exclusivity for an unbelievable drug KEYTRUDA, but it’s not for years. The only one in this group that acts at all well is Lilly, and I do think that when you’re meeting with the President . . .the drug companies meet with the President and it’s like you don’t know what he’s going to say after.”