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Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Reviving Retail

TheStreet.com Staff

Click here for an archive of Cramer's "Mad Money" recaps.

A Fed rate cut and cold weather could rejuvenate some languishing retail stocks, Jim Cramer told viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show Monday.

Lower interest rates mean there will be more cash flowing around, making consumers feel richer, he explained, noting the current cold spell is already causing consumers to flock to stores to pick up winter wear.

Cramer said two stocks that will benefit from these catalysts are Ralph Lauren (RL Quote) and Nordstrom (JWN Quote).

These two retailers, he said, tend to come back first because people who shop there aren't saddled with credit problems to restrict their spending.

Ralph Lauren and Nordstrom deserve to go higher because they command "strong brand-name recognition," have considerable buybacks going on and are "dirt cheap," he said.

That's not the case with Coach (COH Quote), another classic high-end retailer, that recently lowered its guidance. Unlike Nordstrom and Ralph Lauren, Coach is mostly in the business of selling accessories. "It's clothing that's going to sell in this weather, not handbags."

Target: the Wal-Mart Killer

Target (TGT Quote) is the "gold standard of shopping" because of its variety and excitement, Cramer told viewers.

When people say Wal-Mart (WMT Quote) has slipped, what they're saying is that people would rather go across the street to [shop at] Target."

What makes Target worthwhile to investors is that it generates more growth than any other broad retailer and that it is planning to sell its credit-card business. The credit-card business, Cramer pointed out, could be worth more than $7 billion and be a boon to shareholders if it is used for a stock buyback.

If investors want to buy one retailer, they should buy Target, he said. Calling it "the Wal-Mart killer," Target is undervalued, shown attractive growth and will benefit from a cold weather play and a Fed rate cut.

Time for Hardball

Cramer welcomed Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's "Hardball" TV show and author of his newly released book Life's a Campaign.

Cramer called the book a handbook for politics as well as business and Matthews agreed. It's about customers, stockholders, voters, bosses and "everything you've got to work with," Matthews said.

When Cramer mentioned a chapter about low-balling, Matthews emphasized the importance of not putting up a sign that says mission accomplished before the start of a war or a declaration of victory before it's achieved. People should be wary of chief executives who do not deliver on their promises, said Cramer.

Also, on the Street, like in politics, many CEOs have forgotten they should be nice, Cramer continued, referring to another topic in Matthews' book.

The difference between republicans and Democrats, Matthews went on, is that in the Republican Party, people believe in picking a leader, whereas Democrats don't want leaders. They are more horizontal and like meetings and working together. "Republicans want one to take charge and then they support him." Matthews said Rudolph Giuliani looks the most like a leader.

Matthews urged viewers to watch the Democratic debates on Tuesday Oct. 30 that is taking place at Drexel University, noting it will be candidate Barack Obama's chance to show up Hillary Clinton.

Sudden Death Round

During the Sudden Death round, Cramer was bullish on Manitowoc (MTW Quote), Baidu.com (BIDU Quote) and Adobe Systems (ADBE Quote).

He was bearish on Dow Chemical (DOW Quote).

Mad Mail

In his Mad Mail segment, Cramer told a viewer that Sketchers (SKX Quote) didn't its get international business up and running until this last quarter and has finally gotten its inventory in order.

Responding to another email, Cramer said "the weather was really bad for Six Flags (SIX Quote)" and that is why the stock hasn't done well. In the end, Six Flag's CEO Mark Shapiro can't offset the weather, no matter how good he is.

Lightning Round

Cramer was bullish on AT&T (T Quote), Verizon (VZ Quote), Boeing (BA Quote), Sears (SHLD Quote), National Oilwell Varco (NOV Quote), Transocean (RIG Quote), Freeport-McMoRan (FCX Quote), comScore (SCOR Quote), Oshkosh Truck (OSK Quote), Masimo (MASI Quote), First Solar (FSLR Quote), SunPower (SPWR Quote) and MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR Quote).

Cramer was bearish on MetroPCS Communications (PCS Quote), Titanium Metals (TIE Quote), Allegheny Technologies (ATI Quote), Spartan Motors (SPAR Quote), LDK Solar (LDK Quote) and lululemon (LULU Quote).

Want more Cramer? Check out Jim's rules and commandments for investing from his latest book by clicking here.

For more of Cramer's insights during the Lightning Round, click here.