We recently published a list of 8 Stocks in Focus Under Jim Cramer’s Game Plan. In this article, we are going to take a look at where NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) stands against other stocks in focus under Jim Cramer’s game plan.

Jim Cramer, host of Mad Money, offered some important insights to his viewers on Friday, advising them to closely monitor the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting and the earnings reports from companies. However, he also cautioned that irrespective of what the earnings reveal, the direction of the market will largely be determined by President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve.

Cramer explained that Monday will mark a significant moment for understanding consumer behavior, as the February retail sales numbers will be released. He forecasted a sharp decline in consumer spending, which he attributed to growing fears among consumers about job security. Cramer noted that many consumers are left wondering if they might be the next to lose their jobs. He added:

“It’s unavoidable, the president’s ability to create a climate of hope or a climate of fear, and lately, Trump’s gone all in on fear.”

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The following day, Tuesday, will bring the release of February housing data, which Cramer emphasized as significant. He stressed that a strong housing market is essential in preventing a recession, which he described as “terrible”.

“Any kind of slowdown is quickly reflected in housing, which then gets reflected in retail. It’s a delicate chain that starts with housing, which is why I’ll be watching these numbers like a hawk.”

Cramer also expressed concern about the high prices of homes, noting that the cost of lumber is a significant factor, with much of the supply coming from Canada. However, he pointed out that the current tensions between the United States and Canada could exacerbate these price pressures.

Wednesday’s events are also of importance, as the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee will meet, and the market will hear from Jerome Powell, the Fed’s chair. Cramer noted that the most recent inflation data, including both the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Index, have been relatively favorable, which might suggest that inflation is under control. However, he cautioned that certain areas of the economy still experience persistent high prices.

Furthermore, as per Cramer, there is a looming possibility of a new round of tariffs, potentially as soon as next week, which could include a 25% tariff on all imported vehicles, perhaps on those from Germany, Japan, and South Korea. He then added:

“I fear the president will choose Wednesday to lower the boom so be prepared. Sure, the market’s oversold. It may stay oversold by Wednesday so it could possibly handle any auto-related tariff news, but you have to be ready for them.”

According to Cramer, the tariffs are inevitable, and their impact would not be gradual or measured. In conclusion, Cramer reiterated that the fate of the market this week will hinge more on actions from the White House and the Federal Reserve than on the earnings reports of individual companies.

Our Methodology

For this article, we compiled a list of 8 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on March 14. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the fourth quarter of 2024, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of over 1,000 hedge funds.

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 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73

Cramer noted that there is “minimal downside” to owning NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) and remarked:

“Then there’s Nike, which needs to officially say that it’s back on track and ready to grow again. If management does, that $71 stock will see $80 very quickly. I regard Nike as a coiled spring, minimal downside, certainly worth doing.”

NIKE (NYSE:NKE) designs, produces, markets, and sells athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services, including products tailored for different sports. RiverPark Advisors stated the following regarding the company in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

“NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE): NKE shares were a top detractor in the quarter following better than expected fiscal second quarter results reported in December but worse than feared third quarter guidance. The company delivered $13.4 billion of revenue (roughly $1 billion better than expectations) and $1.9 billion of EBIT (roughly $500 million ahead of street consensus) and generated better than expected earnings of $1.03 (investors were looking for $0.78). Despite better operating metrics last quarter, the company dramatically lowered expectations for the fiscal third quarter including expectations for double-digit percentage declines in revenue. NKE’s new CEO, Elliot Hill, described several key issues negatively impacting the company’s growth trajectory including 1) a multi-year move away from a focus on sports, 2) a shift away from innovative demand creating marketing, 3) too much centralization, which has led to lack of execution capabilities in local markets, and 4) too much focus on Nike Digital, which negatively impacted the brands standing in the marketplace.

Nike is, by far, the leading athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment company in the world with over $50 billion in revenue, $6.7 billion in FY2024 annual free cash flow, and $10 billion of excess cash. We believe that over the long term, the global secular growth trend towards active wear will continue to aid Nike’s top-line growth driving gross and operating margin improvements and long-term mid-teens or higher annual EPS growth. In the short term, we believe that the company will work through the above headwinds and that revenue and earnings growth will reaccelerate in the next 12 months.”

Overall, NKE ranks 6th on our list of stocks in focus under Jim Cramer’s game plan. While we acknowledge the potential of NKE 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 NKE 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.