Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Crowning Cell-Phone Play

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No Fawlty Towers

There's a new sheriff in town among the cell-phone plays, and that's Crown Castle International (CCI Quote), said Jim Cramer on his "Mad Money" TV show Thursday.

Crown Castle owns and leases cell-phone towers. But, the company also has a key technology in the coming "sea change" of live video over cell phones, said Cramer.

This "extra edge" distinguishes CCI from its cell-phone tower competitors, he said.

Although no one can be sure how popular video over cell phones will be, even if it flops, CCI is well positioned in the current cell-phone-tower-leasing bull market, said Cramer.

Cramer believes that Verizon(VZ Quote) will begin offering live video via cell phones in 2006 using Crown Castle's technology. Nokia (NOK Quote) may also use Crown Castle's technology, he said.

Finally, Broadcom (BRCM Quote), a key player in video over cell phones, is aligned with Crown Castle, as well, said Cramer.

Cramer is still bullish on cell-phone tower plays Global Signal (GSL Quote) and American Tower (AMT Quote) as well as handset maker, Motorola (MOT Quote), cell-phone "innards" maker Skyworks Solutions (SWKS Quote) and cell-phone chipmaker Qualcomm (QCOM Quote).

But, "I just like CCI better than any of them at these prices," he said.

Koor Constituency

Cramer is bullish on Koor Industries (KOR Quote), the largest Israeli conglomerate, after recent news that Kuwait may end its decades-long embargo against Israel.

If that happens, said Cramer, not only will Koor benefit from Kuwaiti demand for Koor's products such as telecom equipment, but it may also benefit from Kuwaiti oil companies investing in Israeli stocks.

Even if the embargo doesn't end, said Cramer, Koor will be OK because the Israeli economy is "really steaming," he said.

In response to a question about Israeli pharmaceutical company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA Quote), Cramer said he prefers Koor as a way to play Israel because Koor has exposure to the entire Israeli economy, whereas Teva only has exposure to drugs.