For roughly the past two years, traders have bullishly invested in companies on the S&P 500, leading the index of 500 large U.S. companies to new heights—even as the Federal Reserve issued aggressive rate hikes.
Jim Cramer reflected on the lead performing stocks, with his favorite buys being Nvidia, Broadcom and Fair Isaac.
“The whole first year of this bull’s life was an anomaly—that’s because the Fed was furiously tightening and the market went up anyway,” he said. “Every night I say there’s always a bull market somewhere, and for the last two years, well, it’s been right in front of you.”
Cramer lists top 10 stocks on the S&P 500 with the biggest gains since October 12, 2022:
- Nvidia: The stock boasts a monstrous gain of about 1,072% over the past two years, and Cramer repeated his long-held mantra: own Nvidia, don’t trade it. Cramer predicted this artificial intelligence powerhouse will continue to develop advanced technology and grow on the market as demand for its products continues.
- Super Micro Computer: This company, which makes computers used for data storage, AI models and other technology, is a beneficiary of the tech AI boom. Super Micro Computer’s hardware “goes hand in hand with Nvidia,” Cramer said, but added that the company had a weak second quarter and he prefers the semiconductor maker, Nvidia.
- Vistra: Like Super Micro Computer and Nvidia, this electricity and power company has taken advantage of the AI hype, according to Cramer. Vistra is able to produce carbon-free energy, which enterprises need as their new data centers gobble power, he said. If the stock pulls back, Cramer said he’d be a buyer.
- Palantir: This data company has its toe dipped in two booming markets, defense and AI. Cramer said Palantir may be “the craziest stock of the year,” adding that it’s likely to stay expensive as it’s such a major government contractor.
- Fair Isaac: Cramer said Fair Isaac is by far the best in the credit scoring business, saying that its stock could be a buy even at its current price.
- General Electric: General Electric was still one company in 2022, but since then, it’s split into three: GE Healthcare, GE Aerospace and GE Vernova. To Cramer, all the trio is doing well. The latter two are especially prospering as the demand for airplane engines and power for data centers grows.
- Meta: Cramer praised the Facebook parent’s AI-boosted advertising capabilities, particularly in Instagram and the app’s Reels feature.
- Broadcom: Broadcom just hit an all-time high, and Cramer said he thinks the stock isn’t finished climbing. The company develops graphics chips and other infrastructure software, and it’s done well as demand for AI continues.
- Royal Caribbean Cruises: Many consumers view this cruise line’s vacation offerings as affordable, Cramer said, a contrast to airline and hotel prices that have soared with inflation. He suggested that investors can still buy the stock here.
- Arista Networks: Cramer called Arista Networks “perhaps the most unsung of all these winners.” It’s a major player when it comes to network infrastructure for the cloud, which relates to the proliferating data center market. The stock hit an all-time high on Thursday, and he said it could have more room to run.
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Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust holds shares of Nvidia, Meta, GE Healthcare and Broadcom.
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