Jim Cramer's Mad Money Review

Six Flags (NYSE: SIX - News): 'We are big fans of Mark Shapiro... I like the advanced ticket sales. I like what he's doing. I am bullish on SIX, but I have to believe that you don't want to pull the trigger until it is below $6.'Ford (NYSE: F - News): 'People are believing in Alan Mulally [CEO}, and it's about time. He's shrinking the company ... we have heroes on Wall Street, not just villains, and Alan is one of the heroes!'Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC - News): 'Best in show bank. 14x multiple. Unbelievable. WFC is good - don't buy, don't buy - but I want you to pull the trigger on GS!'Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS - News): ' ... at $225, and I think it's going to $350... I want you to pull the trigger on GS.'Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU - News)Chemed (NYSE: CHE - News)Charter Communications (NasdaqGM: CHTR) 'CHTR's going higher! CHTR is now up almost a dollar from where we recommended it.'J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP - News)Kohl's (NYSE: KSS - News)Saks (NYSE: SKS - News): 'Somebody upgraded it today. They're finally getting on board. I like that one too!'Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS - News)Lowe's (NYSE: LOW - News)Federated Department Stores (NYSE: FD - News): 'That stock has gotten too cheap. I'd like to buy that. Buy, buy, buy.'Sears (NasdaqGS: SHLD): ' ... is a stock that everybody now hates... (buzzer sounds)... Meanwhile, I say, c'mon. The guy's making money. Give him the BOD - give him the benefit of the doubt!'Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT - News): ' ... why would you not buy Caterpillar instead, which is best in show, much too low versus the rest of the group.'Joy Global (NasdaqGS: JOYG): 'I like JOYG, but it is to CAT that I am pointing you to...'Syneron Medical (NasdaqGS: ELOS): 'We're still sticking with ELOS ... We like the lasers. We believe in the dental laser. Has it taken off yet? Not yet, but we still like it. I would stick with ELOS.'China Medical (NasdaqGS: CMED): 'The stock is good... A very strange combination of hospice and Roto Rooter... I am sticking by CMED. I would take a little off, because ... hogs get slaughtered... but CMED was a good one and it remains so.'New York Stock Exchange/Euronext (NYSE: NYX - News): '.... was so ugly today that... I've never seen such a bear raid on a stock ... The Euronext numbers that came out were great!'
Bearish calls:
Consol Energy (NYSE: CNX - News): 'Keep looking! Don't pull the trigger! Don't buy, don't buy.'Massey Energy (NYSE: MEE - News): ' ... that one is just awful! House of pain...'DivX (NasdaqGM: DIVX): 'I cannot get behind DIVX. That was one of the ugliest quarters out of the chute that I've ever seen... I cannot do the right thing when management screws up. I am not getting behind DIVX. No way, no how!'Big Lots (NYSE: BIG - News): 'BIG is not a favorite of mine.'Sport Chalet (NasdaqGM: SPCHB)Central Garden & Pet (NasdaqGS: CENT): 'Pass on CENT... Inconsistent. Not a great company. Way too levered to whether we have a good garden season, which is really bad. Sell, sell, sell!'
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Labels: BIG, BTU, CAT, CHE, CHTR, CNX, DKS, F, FD, GS, JCP, Jim Cramer, KSS, Lightning Round, LOW, NYX, SIX, SKS, WFC

The outlook for consumer spending turned hazy Thursday as warnings of weak sales ahead overshadowed better-than-expected March sales at many of the nation's big retailers.
Analysts said rising gasoline prices and the possibility of higher interest rates could lead shoppers to curtail their spending in the coming months. And Wal-Mart Stores Inc., whose customers cut back on shopping when gas prices were high last year, warned that April's selling environment will be tough, while Federated Department Stores Inc. said its first-quarter sales will come in at the low end of expectations. Cooler weather in recent days has stifled sales of spring clothing. And the slowing economy, particularly the weakening housing market, could challenge shoppers in the coming months.
An immediate concern is rising gas prices. Gas and oil climbed Wednesday and Thursday after the government reported a steeper-than-expected decline in gasoline inventories, and there are predictions of $3-a-gallon gasoline by summer. Meanwhile, minutes from the Federal Reserve's most recent meeting showed the central bank is not ruling out an interest rate hike to contain inflation. Higher rates mean consumers will be paying more on their credit card balances, and they can further hurt the already weak housing market.
One of the big pillars for consumer spending has been the solid job market. The Labor Department reported earlier this month that employers added 180,000 jobs in March; the unemployment rate slipped to 4.4 percent, matching a five-year low. But that could weaken if the housing market continues to slump, Perkins said.

Labels: Consumer Spending, FD, Oil, WMT

Altria (NYSE: MO - News), Level 3 Communications (NasdaqGS: LVLT), NYSE Group (NYSE: NYX - News)
Cramer revisited his top 3 stock picks for 2007, noting MO is down and NYX hasn't moved yet, but reiterating his bullishness on all three. He explained NYX is crushed because of arbitrage pressure, since investors have been selling NYX and buying Euronext to make an "itsy bitsy" profit from the merger. But with next week's closing on the deal, NYX will be "kicking and screaming" and those "bum analysts" will have to raise estimates. Cramer would buy NYX before the analysts capitulate and ahead of a short squeeze. "At $93 and change, I see NYX jumping back to at least its 52-week high of [more than] $110 a share," he said.
Benefit of the Doubt: Myron Ullman of J. C Penney (NYSE: JCP - News), Terry Lungren of Federated Department Stores (NYSE: FD - News)
Continuing his series on CEOs who deserve the benefit of the doubt, Cramer said those who believed Myron Ullman when he said JCP would recover from its troubled quarter made some money, as the stock was downgraded to $77, but has recently bounced to $81. He believes JCP is "heading to new highs" and suggests staying with the stock the next time it gives a lackluster number. When Terry Lungren said FD's big miss last year would not happen again, Cramer was "wracked with indecision" and eventually abandoned the stock. However, those who were loyal to Lungren profited.
Harris Stratex Networks (NasdaqGM: HSTX) and Harris (NYSE: HRS - News)
Cramer did some homework when asked about HSTX and he said the parent company, HRS is a better stock, suggested selling the child and buying the parent, which has a mix of very strong businesses, including government communications systems, RF communications and broadcast. Recently HRS was awarded a $600 million contract from the U.S. Census Bureau for field data collection automation and is the "best play on Earth for the penetration of HDTV," Cramer said. CEO Interview: Vincent Sollitto, the CEO of Syntax-Brillian (NasdaqGM: BRLC)
Vincent Sollitto said business is "booming" with the company's Target sales and marketing campaign, and product reviews which are creating demand। When Cramer asked if BRLC is being hurt by housing, Sollitto responded that since people are holding onto their homes, they are more likely to remodel and there has been "tremendous" activity in the home theatre market; "I think it is a great time for us." Cramer is bullish but declined to give two thumbs up because BRLC is very speculative.
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Labels: BRLC, FD, Hot Stocks, HRS, HSTX, JCP, Jim Cramer, LVLT, Mad Money, MO, NYX

Jones Soda (NASDAQ: JSDA - News), National Beverage (AMEX: FIZ - News) and Hansen Natural (NASDAQ: HANS - News)
Hansen Natural "ran out of fizz last summer," says Cramer, who now likes Jones Soda since it is "just beginning to run." Although the stock has been doing well, it is not too late to buy, and Cramer says he would pick some up on Monday afternoon after Thursday's buyers throw it back. Jones is a "relatively unknown stock" and the two analysts who cover Jones give it a "neutral" rating, but Cramer thinks that the company will have 100% earnings-per-share growth by next year thanks to the fact that retailers like Jones for its high premiums. Cramer thinks that Jones is a good regional to national story and has a "cultlike following" which is growing. Finally, Jones' winning deal with National Beverage will save Jones money. Cramer likes this company because it not only knows how to make a good soda, it also knows how to distribute its product.

Riverbed Technology (NASDAQ: RVBD - News)
Since Riverbed has climbed 80% since Cramer's recommendation in October, he suggests investors ring the register a bit, but to hold their position. The company "has a product that saves businesses a lot of money on their bandwidth costs and infrastructure costs," and while it is not a "hot" stock, since of the nine analysts that cover it, there are six holds and three buys, Cramer believes "they will be pressured to change their view." He predicts Riverbed will earn 25 cents a share as its market grows and comments that it has a 90% win rate with its WAN contracts. In addition, the company has beaten its estimates every quarter since its IPO.
Sell Block: Federated Department Stores (NYSE: FD - News), Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI - News), Gmarket (NASDAQ: GMKT - News), Nuance Communications (NASDAQ: NUAN - News), HealthSouth (NYSE: HLS - News)
Cramer regrets having recommended FD and says that it is a sell. Since ATVI is up 7%, he would ring the register. Cramer would take a "schnitzel," or sell a portion of a stock while retaining a position, on Gmarket, since it is up 20%, but "under no circumstances" should anyone buy Nuance, since it is moving into speech recognition, and Cramer does not think this is a good business. HealthSouth which is selling off its divisions to fund its core business is "selling off its winners to fund its loser," and Cramer would get rid of the stock.

CEO Interview: Douglas Brooks of Brinker International (NYSE: EAT - News)
When asked if people should be worried about his company, Douglas Brooks replied, "It has been a tough macroeconomic environment," Brooks responded. "But what we've tried to emphasize is innovation ... and we've been trying to work on value." He went on to discuss the company's share buyback program, its dividend increase, and new restaurants opening nationally and internationally. Cramer says that Brinker has a "limited" downside and would buy the stock.

Labels: ATVI, EAT, FD, FIZ, GMKT, HANS, HLS, Jim Cramer, JSDA, Mad Money, NUAN, RVBD

Labels: BBY, CBH, COST, FD, JCP. CWTR, Jim Cramer, LOW, Mad Money, MW, SBUX, SHLD