Mad Money Recap

Try Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS
CLICK HERE NOW

Cramer's 'Mad Money Recap': Debating the Market's Bottom Doesn't Matter

05/16/08 - 07:48 PM EDT

TheStreet.com Staff

An Infrastructure Play on Wind Power

For speculation Friday, Cramer turned to his favorite form of alternative energy, wind power, recommending MasTec MTZ as a stock investors need to own.

Cramer said MasTec mainly builds infrastructure for the telco and energy industries, but it also has a budding wind power business that's gaining momentum.

Stockpickr

He favorably compared MasTec to his favorite infrastructure companies in the oil industry, including Schlumberger SLB, Halliburton HAL and Nabors NBR.

Cramer said the Street sees MasTec for what is it today and not what it could become. Currently, 74% of the company's revenues come from home installations of satellite TV, cable and telco services like Verizon's VZ FiOS service. While this a good, solid business for the company, Cramer sees the real opportunities in wind.

MasTec's wind business grew rapidly last quarter to $45 million, accounting for 17% of the company's overall revenue. Cramer predicted that number could double. The company, which has a $1.4 billion backlog of work to be done, trades at just 10 times its forward earnings.

Cramer said at just above $10 a share, MasTec is just too cheap. He feels that in five years, the company will be thought of as a wind play first, with only a sideline telco business. He said the stock is a buy at under $11 a share.

The Boom in Internet Advertising

Cramer talked with Gian Fulgoni, chairman of Comscore SCOR, to help decipher the company's recent report on advertising traffic at Internet giant Google GOOG.

Fulgoni explained that since Google does not provide earnings guidance to analysts, the company is often desperate for any information about the company. This is why Fulgoni believes that many analysts misread Comscore's recent traffic report on Google, which only included domestic traffic and not international traffic.

He said that while domestic click-thru's are flattening, Google continues to see growth overseas.

Fulgoni also described Internet advertising as healthy overall. He said the online advertising business is on fire. He noted advertisers are increasingly finding they can get more bang for their buck online and often at less cost than traditional advertising.

In a tightening economy, he felt advertisers would rely on the Web even more.

Eco-Packaging

For investors looking for a great turnaround story, Cramer recommended Packaging Corp of America PKG, the sixth largest producer of cardboard and containerboard in the U.S.

According to Cramer, the worst is now over in the container business. He said that things are improving and now's the time to buy.

Cramer said he likes Packaging Corp. because supplies of container board continue to be tight. With International Paper's IP recent acquisition of Wyerhauser's WY container board business, Cramer said supplies are likely to tighten even further.

In a commodity business, Cramer always looks for the lowest-cost, highest-margin producer, and Packaging Corp fits that description.

Packaging Corp uses only 23% of the higher priced recycled materials in its products compared to the industry average of 51%. Cramer said that while this may not be environmentally friendly, it makes PKG the cheapest producer out there.

The company also uses far less natural gas in its production, giving it additional cost savings.

With a 5.1% dividend yield and a $110 million stock buyback program that accounts for 4% of the shares outstanding, Cramer said investors can't go wrong.

Packaging Corp trades at just $4 off its 52-week low, but Cramer thinks the stock could rise to $33 a share on any turn in the economy.

Lightning Round

Cramer was bullish on Hanesbrands HBI, Potash POT, France Telecom FTE, Capstone Turbine CPST, Exxon Mobil XOM and Gafisa GFA.

Cramer was bearish on Diebold DBD, Granite Construction GVA and Red Hat RHT.


Jim Cramer writes about all the stock trades in his charitable trust for TheStreet.com in Action Alerts Plus. Recent stocks he's traded in this account include Schering-PloughSPG, Yamana GoldAUY and Inverness MedicalIMA.

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

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




1 2
» Next
At the time of publication, Cramer was not long on any stock.

Jim Cramer, host of the CNBC television program "Mad Money," is a Markets Commentator for TheStreet.com, Inc., and CNBC, and a director and co-founder of TheStreet.com. All opinions expressed by Mr. Cramer on "Mad Money" are his own and do not reflect the opinions of TheStreet.com or its affiliates, or CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL or their parent company or affiliates. Mr. Cramer's opinions are based upon information he considers to be reliable, but neither TheStreet.com, nor CNBC, nor either of their affiliates and/or subsidiaries warrant its completeness or accuracy, and it should not be relied upon as such. Mr. Cramer's statements are based on his opinions at the time statements are made, and are subject to change without notice. No part of Mr. Cramer's compensation from CNBC or TheStreet.com is related to the specific opinions expressed by him on "Mad Money."

None of the information contained in "Mad Money" constitutes a recommendation by Mr. Cramer, TheStreet.com or CNBC that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. You must make your own independent decisions regarding any security, portfolio of securities, transaction, or investment strategy mentioned on the program. Mr. Cramer's past results are not necessarily indicative of future performance. Neither Mr. Cramer, nor TheStreet.com, nor CNBC guarantees any specific outcome or profit, and you should be aware of the real risk of loss in following any strategy or investments discussed on the program. The strategy or investments discussed may fluctuate in price or value and you may get back less than you invested. Before acting on any information contained in the program, you should consider whether it is suitable for your particular circumstances and strongly consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser.

Some of the stocks mentioned by Mr. Cramer on "Mad Money" are held in Mr. Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio. When that is the case, appropriate disclosure is made on the program and in the "Mad Money" recap available on TheStreet.com. The Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio contains all of Mr. Cramer's personal investments in publicly-traded equity securities only, and does not include any mutual fund holdings or other institutionally managed assets, private equity investments, or his holdings in TheStreet.com, Inc. Since March 2005, the Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio has been held by a Trust, the realized profits from which have been pledged to charity. Mr. Cramer retains full investment discretion with respect to all securities contained in the Trust. Mr. Cramer is subject to certain trading restrictions, and must hold all securities in the Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio for at least one month, and is not permitted to buy or sell any security he has spoken about on television or on his radio program for five days following the broadcast.


TheStreet Picks

Mad Money Recap

Go To Section Home


05/15/08
Cramer's 'Mad Money Recap': Hot Chilean Stocks

Investors should take a look at Banco Santander, the No. 1 bank in the country, Cramer says.


05/14/08
Cramer's 'Mad Money Recap': Woodward Governor's Big Wind Power Play

Cramer says the company is well positioned to profit on the rapid growth of wind power.


05/13/08
Cramer's 'Mad Money Recap': Waiting for the Housing Turnaround

Cramer talks with the head of Toll Brothers about the state of the housing industry.


05/19/08
Cramer on Top Searched Stocks: Yahoo!

Yahoo! is among the most searched stocks on TheStreet.com. Here's what Cramer had to say about the stock recently.


05/17/08
Jim Cramer's Best Blogs

Catch up on his thinking on the hottest topics of the past week.


04/26/08
Coming Week: Make or Break

Investors will have to deal with a Fed meeting and another flood of earnings and economic data.


05/19/08
Top Rocket Stocks: Ensco

Ensco International and Echelon have the potential to move higher in coming days.


04/28/08
Monday's Analysts' Upgrades, Downgrades

See who made what calls.


05/19/08
Telecom Giants See a Savior in Video

The addition of video is helping telecom companies compete against cable and satellite companies.


05/19/08
Contract Expiration Tempers Oil's Rise

The June West Texas Intermediate contract reflects selling pressure ahead of Tuesday's expiration. But stocks in the sector are generally trading higher.


05/19/08
Analysts' Upgrades, Downgrades: Amazon

See who made what calls.


Your Recent Quotes: Quote Up0 | Quote Down0
Dow S&P 500 NASDAQ
Oil*
Gold
10 Yr
0.00%
%
%
%
Data delayed 20 min
Sign up for our FREE newsletters now.

Keep on top of the market and the critical information you need to make more profitable investing decisions.

  • Cramer's Daily Booyah!
  • Before the Bell

Privacy Policy

See All Free Newsletters

Premium Stock Ideas
Access Action Alerts Plus to find out Cramer’s latest picks now!