Jim Cramer on Alphabet Inc. (GOOG): ‘I Like The Saga So Much; It Makes Me Happy.’
We recently compiled a list of the Jim Cramer’s Top 10 Bullish Stock Picks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) stands against Jim Cramer's other bullish stock picks.
In a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer expressed his enthusiasm for the current market, highlighting a significant historical perspective. He reminded viewers that 20 years ago, Google went public at $85 per share and closed its first day up 18%. While many traders were thrilled by this initial gain, looking back, it was a major missed opportunity. The stock has since delivered a 7,736% return, far exceeding the S&P 500’s return of just over 600%. This example illustrates the potential wealth individual stocks can offer compared to broader indices, especially if you choose wisely.
"Twenty years ago today, Google went public at a split-unadjusted price of $85 per share. On its first day, the stock closed up 18%. Many traders, thrilled by this initial gain, took the profit. In retrospect, this was one of the greatest mistakes of all time. It has since delivered a 7,736% return, compared to the S&P 500's return of slightly more than 600% with dividends. This serves as a reminder of the wealth that individual stocks can generate compared to indices when you choose wisely. And I’m telling you, it’s not that hard if you know how to research. So, I think it's time to reconsider the average approach, at least for today."
Cramer noted that, despite a strong recent performance—with the Dow gaining 237 points, the S&P 500 up 0.97%, and the NASDAQ increasing by 1.39%—the short-term market outlook is more complex. The market is currently on its longest winning streak since November of last year, with 93% of S&P 500 stocks showing gains.
However, he cautioned that the market might be "overbought," as indicated by the Market Edge oscillator, a tool Cramer has relied on since 1987. When the oscillator reaches plus five or higher, it signals that it might be time to sell. Conversely, readings of minus five or lower indicate oversold conditions, suggesting it's a good time to buy.
"Even though it was another good day for the markets. we need to consider both the short-term and long-term outlooks. The short-term setup isn’t as favorable. We’re currently on a significant winning streak, with the market having risen for straight days, the longest streak since November of last year. Impressively, 93% of the S&P 500 stocks are up. "
This follows a Monday when the market dropped sharply due to the Yen carry trade imploding, which led to a wave of forced selling and subsequent panic.
"As I've often said, panic is not a strategy. Since that panic, the market has mostly been trending upward."
Jim Cramer has also expressed concern about the upcoming Justice Department case challenging the search engine giant's role in the advertising exchange market. This legal issue could have a significant negative impact on it, a company that has greatly benefited from this setup. A victory for the Justice Department could be even more damaging than the previous issue with Apple over default search engine payments, which contributed to its monopoly concerns.
According to Cramer, the resilience of tech giants is evident, with strong recoveries even after short-term dips. (see 33 Most Important AI Companies You Should Pay Attention To).
Jim Cramer emphasizes that investing in truly exceptional companies, rather than merely following market indices, usually leads to the best returns. Cramer advises investors to avoid panicking during market fluctuations and to maintain their focus on holding strong companies for long-term success.
"As we move forward, it's important to remember that investing in truly great companies, rather than just following the index, often yields the best returns. The substantial gain from Google over 20 years exemplifies this. Avoiding panic during market turbulence and sticking with strong companies is crucial for long-term success."
Our Methodology
In this article, we reviewed a recent episode of Jim Cramer's Mad Money and highlighted ten stocks that he is optimistic about. We also included information on hedge fund sentiment for each stock and ranked them based on how many hedge funds own each one, starting with the least owned.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A laptop and phone open to Google's services in an everyday setting.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 216
On the 20th anniversary of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s IPO, Jim Cramer reflected on the company's remarkable journey. Cramer had estimated Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)'s value at around $300 on its first day, a figure so high that it prompted questions from his lawyer. In hindsight, he admitted that $500 would have been a more accurate estimate, though he was being conservative.
"On this the 20th anniversary of the IPO, I want you to consider the saga of Google. I like the saga so much; it makes me happy. When it went public, it used a Dutch auction system which favored buyers over sellers. You got a driven price if you managed to snag a piece of it. I remember mentioning on air that I thought Google was worth about $300 that day, a price so high that our lawyer called me to ask how I came up with that number. I said I would have used $500 but was being conservative."
Since its IPO, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has continually reinvented itself, growing its cloud business significantly under Thomas Kurian, who took over in 2019. Cramer praised Kurian’s achievements, noting that Google Cloud is now on a $42 billion run rate. He also highlighted recent executive changes, including the appointment of a new CFO, which he views positively. Cramer noted that while Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has been a tremendous performer—delivering a 7,736% return since its IPO—investors often struggle with short-term market fluctuations.
He compared this situation to recent market movements, such as
NVIDIA Corporation
(NASDAQ:NVDA)’s strong performance despite broader market concerns. Cramer emphasized that individual stocks, rather than indices like the S&P 500, are the real drivers of wealth creation. He also advised maintaining positions in top-performing companies like NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), despite short-term market volatility.
Artisan Select Equity Fund stated the following regarding Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
“The top contributors to performance for the quarter were Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Lam Research and Elevance. Alphabet shares rose by 21% during the quarter, making it the largest contributor to our performance. The company reported excellent Q1 earnings, highlighting accelerating revenue growth, strong profitability and effective capital allocation. Alphabet’s core search business is growing at a mid-teens rate—the fastest growth rate in nearly two years. Importantly, its non-search businesses have reached significant scale, with its cloud and YouTube businesses expected to reach a combined run-rate of $100 billion by the end of 2024
During the quarter, Alphabet also displayed meaningful progress in its AI initiatives, and we believe it is well positioned to be a leader in this field. The capital allocation is solid. It is returning all the free cash flow to shareholders and announced that it will start paying a dividend. Alphabet’s shares are trading at just over 20X next year’s earnings, which is a very reasonable valuation for a business with such high-quality characteristics and growth potential.”
Overall GOOG ranks 2nd on our list of Jim Cramer's top bullish stock picks. While we acknowledge the potential of GOOG as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that under the radar AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GOOG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: $30 Trillion Opportunity: 15 Best Humanoid Robot Stocks to Buy According to Morgan Stanley and Jim Cramer Says NVIDIA ‘Has Become A Wasteland’.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.