Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Living Large

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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- There are two kinds of companies, Jim Cramer told "Mad Money" viewers Thursday -- those busy living and those busy dying.

This was clearly on display Thursday with PPG (PPG) announcing that it's selling its low-growth commodity chemicals business to focus on its higher-growth specialty chemicals. Shares of PPG rose 7.5% to a new high on the news. That's a company that's living, said Cramer.

Also on the "living large" list, apparel maker VF Corp (VFC), whose shares soared 10 points as the company's acquisition of Timberland last year is starting to bear fruit. Even Walgreens (WAG) decided to end its spat with Express Scripts (ESRX), sending its shares up 11.5%.

Cramer said while he still prefers CVS Caremark (CVS), a stock which he owns for his charitable trust, Action Alerts PLUS, he commended Walgreens for taking action.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs (GS) seem happy with the status quo, said Cramer. Those companies are "busy dying," he said, while Wells Fargo (WFC) is actively soliciting new business and hitting a new 52-week high.

Kraft (KFT) and Abbott Labs (ABT) are breaking themselves up to unlock value. Those companies are living. But Procter & Gamble (PG) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) are still pondering the idea. Clearly not living.

Cramer said for investors, the choice of which companies deserve their investments should be an easy one.

Executive Decision

In the "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer spoke with Nick Pinchuk, chairman and CEO of toolmaker Snap-on (SNA), which surprised Wall Street Thursday with a seven-cents-a-share earnings beat on 5% organic growth. That news was enough to send shares of Snap-on up 9.6% to a new high.

Pinchuk said the newspapers are wrong and small business is doing well in America. He said at the lower levels, people are confident and cash-rich and only in the boardroom does it seem like everyone is worried about the economy. That's why Snap-on's tool business is going "gangbusters," he said.

After focusing almost exclusively on auto mechanics, Pinchuk said Snap-on is realizing its brand resonates well with technicians in aerospace, aviation, power generation and the oil and gas business. Those industries are producing double-digit growth for the company.

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