We recently compiled a list titled Jim Cramer’s Latest Watchlist: 10 Stock Picks You Need to Know. In this article, we will look at where Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU) stands among other stock picks in Jim Cramer’s latest watchlist.
In a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer advised investors to hold onto their stocks, anticipating a rebound after the market’s downturn. This advice proved useful as the Dow rose by 484 points or 1.16% and the NASDAQ also climbed by 1.16%, indicating that selling during the market decline was not the best choice.
“Last week, I advised you to hold off on selling everything and just wait, as I believed that once the pain ended, we would see a rebound. The average investor saw gains, with the Dow up 484 points, or 1.16%, and the NASDAQ also climbing 1.16%. While it might not be a full recovery, it shows that selling into Friday’s downturn wasn’t the best strategy.”
Jim Cramer noted that the previous week was tough for economically sensitive and tech stocks, despite a mixed August employment report. This report suggested a balanced economic outlook, not too strong or weak, which initially seemed favorable for those hoping for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Despite this, Wall Street reacted negatively, shifting away from cyclical stocks to more recession-proof sectors like consumer goods and pharmaceuticals, with industries such as industrials and semiconductors being particularly affected.
Cramer observed that recession-proof stocks, such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices, have performed well recently but have seen significant gains, raising concerns about a potential correction.
“Today, recession-proof stocks like pharmaceuticals, drug wholesalers, and medical devices continued to perform well, which is dangerous as these stocks have seen parabolic gains and could be due for a correction.”
He highlighted that historically, when the Federal Reserve is about to cut rates, it signals a shift in investment strategy. With the Fed expected to ease rates soon, Cramer suggests investors consider moving away from recession-proof stocks and look into more cyclical companies that could benefit from economic stimulus. While investing in cyclical stocks during a downturn is challenging, the anticipated rate cuts could make these stocks more attractive. Cramer advises maintaining diversification but being ready to adjust investment strategies based on the economic outlook.
“Historically, when the Fed is about to start cutting rates, we know that it’s time to shift focus. With the Fed leaning towards easing and an expected rate cut next week, it’s time to consider moving away from recession-proof stocks and investing in more cyclical companies. While it’s challenging to buy cyclical stocks during a slowdown, anticipating that the Fed will boost the economy can make them strong investment opportunities. It’s important to maintain diversification but be ready to adjust as needed.”
Our Methodology
This article reviews a recent episode of Jim Cramer’s Mad Money, where he talked about several stocks. From there, we picked ten companies and discussed how hedge funds are investing in them. Finally, we rank these companies from those least owned to those most owned by hedge funds.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with 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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 120
Jim Cramer points out that Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is expected to earn $9.59 per share in its 2025 fiscal year, with projected earnings rising to nearly $13 per share the following year. Despite these strong earnings forecasts, Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU)’s stock is currently trading at less than seven times the expected earnings for next year, which Cramer considers very low.
“Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is now in its 2025 fiscal year, where it’s expected to earn $9.59, with that number growing to nearly $13 the following year. In other words, Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is trading at less than 7 times next year’s fiscal earnings estimates. That’s insanely cheap—but remember, that often means people don’t believe in the estimates. That’s how it gets to seven times. I understand that, but I think the estimates are okay.”
Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) is a strong investment choice due to its leading role in the semiconductor memory market, especially in areas like AI and next-generation memory technologies. Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU) excels in DRAM and NAND technologies, which are crucial for AI, autonomous vehicles, and data centers. In fiscal Q3 2024, Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU) reported revenue of $6.81 billion, surpassing expectations due to high demand for AI products and strong performance.
Its non-GAAP earnings of $0.62 per share also exceeded forecasts. Key to its success are innovations like the 9th-generation NAND technology and PCIe Gen 6 SSDs, which are first-of-their-kind advancements for data centers. Although the memory industry is facing short-term challenges, analysts remain positive about Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU)’s future. For instance, Susquehanna analyst Mehdi Hosseini notes that despite a “mid-cycle correction” in the memory market, Micron Technology Inc.(NASDAQ:MU) is well-positioned to benefit from changes in the DRAM sector and growing demand for AI-related memory.
Overall MU ranks 2nd on our list. While we acknowledge the potential of MU, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than the ones on our list 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 was originally published on Insider Monkey.