Jim Cramer on General Motors Company (GM): ‘I Think The Stock Can Only Go Higher’
We recently compiled a list of the 8 Cheap Jim Cramer Stocks to Invest In. In this article, we are going to take a look at where General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) stands against the other cheap Jim Cramer stocks.
On a recent episode of Mad Money, Jim Cramer criticized the semiconductor sector's performance on Tuesday, particularly in light of a significant sell-off in semiconductor stocks following disappointing earnings from ASML, which wiped out over $50 billion from its market capitalization. Cramer argued that many on Wall Street fail to grasp the enduring significance of advanced graphics chips in artificial intelligence. He emphasized that as long as innovations and new applications for computing power continue to emerge, the demand for these chips will persist.
“I don't think the need for speed is going away. In fact, it's only going to increase, especially when tech companies and utilities are fiercely trying to put up nuclear power plants to meet the energy demands.”
Cramer expressed frustration at how quickly some investors rushed to declare the semiconductor sector in decline.
“There were many money managers and writers falling all over each other just at the close of yesterday, at the closing bell, to write the definitive obituary for this group, even as it's less of a group than more of like a parliament of owls that's somehow been combined with a pride of lions, two very different beasts. As I watched and listened, I said to myself, this terrible miss by some abstruse Dutch outfit is going to make people miss out on what could be the next leg of a powerful, semiconductor rally fueled by the wall of worry and skepticism that's being built right in my face.”
He also pointed out that various industries are only beginning to experience “AI-powered revolutions.” He explained:
“... As Jensen told me, software never dies. As long as there are new inventions and new uses for computer power, there will be more need for these chips. And you can attach them to the software, no matter what the iteration. You just have to keep buying them because you have to keep up. Right now we have revolutions just starting in healthcare, manufacturing, climate change, cybersecurity, autonomous driving, and even robots.”
He further talked about how the current bull market could gain momentum if the tech sector maintains its strength. Cramer highlighted analysis from Jessica Inskip, noting that both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100 are showing promising charts. He pointed out that the market has expanded significantly compared to six months ago, but for this upward trend to persist, Inskip emphasized the need for substantial engagement from tech stocks.
Cramer discussed the weekly performance charts of the Nasdaq 100, which features some of the largest technology companies. Although the index remains in a positive trading cycle, it has not reached new highs like the S&P 500. Inskip mentioned that while the Nasdaq 100 is moving in a favorable direction, it must surpass its July peaks to stimulate a broader market rally. While Cramer acknowledged that tech might not need to lead the market, it still must closely follow the stronger sectors.
Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled a list of nearly 80 stocks that Cramer was bullish on during episodes of Mad Money aired in October. We narrowed the list to 8 stocks that had a forward price-to-earnings ratio of under 15 and were most widely held by institutional investors. We listed the stocks in ascending order of their hedge fund sentiment as of the second quarter, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of more than 900 hedge funds.
Why are we interested in 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).
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General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)
Forward P/E: 4.91
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 72
Cramer has previously called General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) “tempting”, saying:
“Hey, you know what tempting is? General Motors. They hold an analyst meeting [on] Tuesday. GM’s having a great year. [The] stock’s up 27%. I think the redoubtable CEO Mary Barra will tell a strong story… The company’s been able to put up quality numbers even when interest rates were higher. So who knows how well it can do now that the Fed’s our friend. Holy cow. Hey, by the way, unlike Ford, GM has a substantial buyback, which has clearly helped in stock. By contrast, Ford stock’s down 13% for the year. Given that GM still trades at less than five times earnings, and as long as Barra doesn’t cut the forecast, I think the stock can only go higher.”
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is focused on the development, manufacturing, and marketing of vehicles, including trucks, crossovers, cars, and essential automotive components. At a recent investor event in Spring Hill, Tennessee, Mary Barra highlighted the ongoing evolution of the company’s financial performance, mentioning that profit margins for traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have room for further growth. Additionally, she pointed out the accelerating sales of electric vehicles (EVs), noting that profits for 2025 are projected to remain comparable to those of 2024.
In October, General Motors (NYSE:GM) announced that it entered into a partnership with Lithium Americas Corp. to establish a joint venture aimed at financing and developing the Thacker Pass lithium project in Nevada. The collaboration involves an investment of $625 million from the company, which breaks down into $430 million in direct cash contributions and a $195 million letter of credit to bolster the project’s funding. Additionally, the agreement includes a conditional commitment for a $2.3 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy, further strengthening the financial foundation of the initiative.
Under the revised agreement, GM will secure a 38% stake in the Thacker Pass project, a shift from a previous commitment of $330 million made under an earlier investment agreement. The latest investment complements General Motors’ (NYSE:GM) earlier contribution of $320 million in February 2023, which granted the company approximately 15 million common shares of Lithium Americas. Furthermore, the company has extended its offtake agreement to cover up to 100% of the production from Phase 1 for a duration of 20 years, while also committing to a new 20-year offtake agreement for 38% of production from Phase 2.
Overall GM ranks 1st on our list of the cheap Jim Cramer stocks to invest in. While we acknowledge the potential of GM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that 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 GM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.