Jim Cramer’s Game Plan: 12 Stocks in Focus This Week

2. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 105

A slew of banks, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), will report earnings on Wednesday and Cramer commented:

“On Wednesday, we’re gonna hear from JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup. I think they’re all gonna be pretty darn good. Plus, given the environment has improved for mergers and acquisitions, as we’ve seen already this year, we gotta have some excellent forecast. I like these stocks and they’re well off their highs with very low price-to-earnings multiples. Could it be a real opportunity? I think so. We’ve been buying a bunch of them for the Charitable Trust because a robust economy often produces the best results for these companies. Regardless of the bond market or the Fed. We have less, fewer credit problems.”

JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) is a global financial services institution that offers a range of services, such as deposits, loans, investment banking, and wealth management. As of the third quarter of 2024, its financial standing reflects a highly stable and resilient balance sheet. The bank reported an impressive total loss-absorbing capacity of $544 billion, complemented by $1.5 trillion in cash and marketable securities.

In comparison, its riskiest assets, including loans, were valued at $1.3 trillion. For the full year 2024, the company forecasts net interest income (NII) excluding markets to be approximately $91.5 billion, with total NII expected to reach around $92.5 billion. Additionally, the bank expects the 2024 net charge-off rate for credit card loans to be about 3.4%.

Additionally, JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) has a significant presence in Japan, where it is among the largest foreign investment banks. As of December 2024, the company strengthened its position by appointing Satoshi Shimada from Bank of America to lead its mergers and acquisitions team in Tokyo. The move was made to take advantage of the surge in dealmaking activity in the country, driven by government initiatives encouraging companies to enhance shareholder value, a weak yen, and favorable borrowing conditions.