Jim Cramer’s Lightning Round: 8 Stocks in Focus

1. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 181

A caller asked Cramer’s opinion on Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) and in response, here’s what Mad Money’s host had to say:

“Absolutely, my feeling on the stock of Visa is that is what I call an up stock. I’m going to give you twofer. I like MA too, which is MasterCard. They have no credit risk and they’re doing incredibly well. I like them.”

Visa (NYSE:V) is a payment technology company, which provides services like transaction processing, credit, debit, and prepaid card products. The company also offers solutions for cross-border payments, fraud prevention, digital services, and payment integration for e-commerce platforms. Meridian Hedged Equity Fund stated the following regarding Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:

“Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is the world’s largest retail electronic payments network. We hold Visa in the portfolio because of its formidable competitive moat, built on network effects spanning billions of cards and millions of merchants globally. The company continues to benefit from the secular shift toward electronic payments while expanding its portfolio to include high-growth adjacent offerings. While U.S. market penetration is mature, international markets—particularly in emerging economies, where cash usage remains prevalent— offer significant growth opportunities. Visa’s operating model demonstrates strong leverage, with incremental revenue efficiently flowing to the bottom line. This quarter, Visa outperformed expectations across key metrics, with payment volumes and transaction growth proving resilient despite macro uncertainties. Looking ahead, we anticipate continued momentum into fiscal 2025, driven by the ongoing transition to digital payments, international expansion, and the scaling of newer business lines.”

While we acknowledge the potential of Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) 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. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than V but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

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