Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: Russia's TV Bonanza
Click here for an archive of Cramer's "Mad Money" recaps.
The rise of capitalism in Russia has fueled the rapid growth of TV, Jim Cramer told viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show Wednesday.
Russian TV is where America was 40 years ago, he said, as the explosive growth of advertising is propelling the expansion of television programming and viewership.
Cramer: One Way to Play 'Beat the Street' |
var config = new Array(); config<BRACKET>"videoId"</BRACKET> = 1485891020; config<BRACKET>"playerTag"</BRACKET> = "TSCM Embedded Video Player"; config<BRACKET>"autoStart"</BRACKET> = false; config<BRACKET>"preloadBackColor"</BRACKET> = "#FFFFFF"; config<BRACKET>"useOverlayMenu"</BRACKET> = "false"; config<BRACKET>"width"</BRACKET> = 265; config<BRACKET>"height"</BRACKET> = 255; config<BRACKET>"playerId"</BRACKET> = 1243645856; createExperience(config, 8); |
The best way to play that market is
CTC Media
(CTCM)
, the fourth largest television broadcaster in Russia, according to Cramer.
CTC Media, he says, owns 32 TV stations and is aggressively growing through acquisitions, taking advantage of cost savings along the way. The broadcasting company commands 11.8% of the national audience in Russia, and many of its stations enjoy strong ratings.
Cramer notes CTC Media's current valuation as another reason to own the company. CTC has a 30% long-term growth rate, but trades at just 18 times expected 2008 earnings.
"The Russian stocks are coming," he said, "and CTC Media is another great way to play the capitalist revolution."
A Market Over-Reaction
Cramer went out on a limb and recommended
Merck
(MRK) - Get Merck & Company Inc. Report
, as the next stock in his series of "catch-up" stocks that lag against their peers.
Merck recently suffered huge losses, to the tune of $31 billion of its marketcap, after negative reports surfaced regarding its anti-cholesterol drug Vytorin, which it co-marketed with
TheStreet Recommends
Schering-Plough
(MRK) - Get Merck & Company Inc. Report
.
"I believe Merck's been beaten down way too much," said Cramer. Just days after the negative study was released, Merck saw only modest dips in the prescription rates for Vytorin, indicating that the market may have overreacted to the news, he noted.
Calling the Vytorin fiasco "just a speed bump for Merck," Cramer said the company's $31 billion loss of marketcap "absurd."
But now that the damage has been done, Cramer said the earnings estimates for Merck "are just too low."
He said drug stocks are the ones you want to own in a recessionary environment, and with Merck's 3.7% dividend yield, it's just too attractive to pass up.
Merck estimates it will take in $4.6 billion in sales this year and has several blockbuster drugs in its pipeline. The company now trades at just 11 times forward earnings.
He is impressed with the company's stock buyback program, which still has $5.1 billion left with which to purchase its shares. "Just two months ago, they were buying back shares at $59."
Cramer's called Merck his No. 1 pick in the Dow Jones Industrial Average and a quality company that trades at a huge discount.
Going Strong
Cramer welcomed Zan Guerry Chairman and CEO of
Chattem
( CHTT) to talk about the company's recent upside surprise.
Guerry said his company's strength has come from all of its brands moving in the right direction. He cited Icy Hot, Gold Bond, Cortizone and Act mouthwash as brands that are performing exceptionally well. He also said earlier concerns with the company's Icy Hot brand have been resolved.
Guerry credited some of Chattem's success to the company's many new products. He said the company is generating up to $5 a share of free cash flow and has $100 million for additional acquisitions.
Cramer called Chattem a solid company with great brands, great management and a solid strategy.
Mad Mail
In this segment, Cramer told a viewer that he has mixed feelings on
LSB Industries
(LXU) - Get LSB Industries Inc. Report
. While accounting irregularities always equals sell, the investigation was already priced into the stock at $14 a share, he said.
When a viewer asked for a recommendation between
Consolidated Edison
(ED) - Get Consolidated Edison Inc. Report
and
Public Service Enterprise
(PEG) - Get Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated Report
, Cramer pick ConEd for its dividend yield, but also mentioned the Brazilian
CPFL Energia
(CPL) - Get CPFL Energia S.A. Sponsored ADR Report
as another great play.
A third viewer asked about
Sunrise Senior Living
( SRZ), to which Cramer reiterated that accounting problems always equals sell.
A fourth viewer asked if
First Solar
(FSLR) - Get First Solar Inc. Report
could withstand attacks against global warming. Cramer stood behind the company, and
Applied Materials
(AMAT) - Get Applied Materials Inc. Report
as solid solar plays regardless of the prevailing wisdom on global warming.
Sudden Death
Cramer was bullish on
United Parcel Service
(UPS) - Get United Parcel Service Inc. Report
and
International Business Machines
(IBM) - Get International Business Machines Corporation Report
.
Cramer was bearish on
First Marblehead
undefined
.
Lightning Round
Cramer was bullish on
Millicom International Cellular
( MICC),
Honeywell
(HON) - Get Honeywell International Inc. Report
,
CSX Corp
(CSX) - Get CSX Corporation Report
,
Weyerhaeuser
(WY) - Get Weyerhaeuser Company Report
,
Exxon Mobil
(XOM) - Get Exxon Mobil Corporation Report
,
Petrohawk Energy
(HK)
,
Verizon
(VZ) - Get Verizon Communications Inc. Report
,
Mastercard
(MA) - Get Mastercard Incorporated Report
,
Visa
and
Atlas Energy Resources
( ATN).
Cramer was bearish on
Cameco
(CCJ) - Get Cameco Corporation Report
,
YRC Worldwide
(YRCW) - Get YRC Worldwide Inc. Report
,
(GOOG) - Get Alphabet Inc. Report
,
Trinity Industries
(TRN) - Get Trinity Industries Inc. Report
,
Citigroup
(C) - Get Citigroup Inc. Report
,
Discover Financial Services
(DFS) - Get Discover Financial Services Report
and
American Express
(AXP) - Get American Express Company Report
.
Want more Cramer? Check out Jim's rules and commandments for investing by
.
For more of Cramer's insights during the Lightning Round, click here
.
At the time of publication, Cramer was long Verizon.
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.
