After doing some homework on the “roller-coaster” stock of Acadia Pharmaceuticals, CNBC’s Jim Cramer came back with a surprisingly positive take on the pharma play.
“A lot of people don’t like roller-coasters, so even if you like what I’m about to say about the stock, it may not suit you. That said, I think that Acadia’s got enough going for it that this stock is indeed worth speculating on, meaning you can invest a small portion of your discretionary mad money portfolio in Acadia,” the “Mad Money” host said. “Not for your retirement money, but I like this one.”
Acadia is a biotechnology company that develops treatments to central nervous system disorders, particularly mental illnesses and symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Sadly, the markets for Acadia’s drugs are huge: 8 million people in the United States suffer from dementia-related psychosis, 1 million from Parkinson’s and 3 million from schizophrenia.
Acadia’s aim for its treatments — some of which are the only ones of their kind on the market and some of which are in clinical trials — is to reduce the severe side effects that come with treating serious psychosis.
And even though its stock has been whipped around in the last few years, Cramer thinks the company has the makings of a good story.
“As far as I’m concerned, the bullish story is intact, it’s just that this stock goes through periods of being overly liked followed by periods of excessive hatred. Frankly, this was, I would say, the most volatile stock that I’ve ever done the work on,” he said. “Bottom line? Acadia’s been a real wild trader, but it’s got a very impressive anti-psychotic drug that could have many different indications, so I think the stock is absolutely worth speculating the next time it pulls back.”
Plenty of people are worried about the stock market’s seemingly endless rally, but Cramer is more interested in the drivers behind it.
“Stocks have indeed come very far very fast, we’re right on the cusp of multiple rate hikes, there was a terrorist attack in Times Square, we’ve got a special prosecutor investigating the White House and last week we almost had a government shutdown that was only temporarily averted. Yet stocks [are] in great shape,” Cramer said.
With some seasoned Wall Streeters calling a top to the action and warning investors to get out of the market now, Cramer found some tangible factors that could be responsible for the gains.
First on Cramer’s list? Employment.
The midwinter bounce in auto parts stocks O’Reilly Automotive, Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone did not go unnoticed by Cramer.
“First AutoZone and O’Reilly bounced from their lows over the summer, then Advance Auto Parts seemed to bottom last month. It’s now up 28 percent from its lows on Nov. 8,” he said. “That’s a magnificent move. More important, if the auto parts business is really back on track, then these stocks are dirt-cheap in a market where we’re constantly hearing people fretting about sky-high valuations.”
All three stocks served shareholders well from 2013 to 2016, when people were less eager to buy new cars following the financial crisis and, as a result, had to replace car parts more often.
But starting in 2017, all three fell off a cliff. The proximate cause? Amazon’s rumored foray into the auto parts industry. Cramer dug deeper to see whether the sell-off was justified.
For those looking to invest in experience and lifestyle, golf might be their next ace in the hole.
At least that’s what Erik Anderson, the co-chairman and CEO of privately-held entertainment company Topgolf, told CNBC on Monday.
Topgolf, a budding chain of sports-bar-meets-driving-range entertainment centers, has been growing in popularity among non-golfers, the CEO said.
“Golf certainly hit a peak at one point in the U.S. … but I think it’s stabilizing,” Anderson told Cramer. “We’re seeing real growth again. And I think golf starts to get growing in a couple of ways. If you count our activity, golf actually has grown. So I think it’s just expanding the audience and how people get to it.”
As Cramer monitored bitcoin futures’ second day of trading on the Cboe, he made two of his fundamental beliefs about equity futures clear.
“First, let me say this. As long as it’s not against the law, I am supportive of anything that makes people money. Bitcoin has made people fortunes,” the “Mad Money” host said. “Second, I hate it when experts try to keep other people out of securities or instruments that make you money.”
One of Cramer’s biggest pet peeves is hearing hedge fund managers talk about how the stock market is too risky for them or for individual investors.
Cramer said he was so glad he didn’t listen to the people who told him for decades that stocks were too dangerous and too expensive. Bitcoin, he said, is simply the latest outlet for this narrative.
In Cramer’s lightning round, he rattled off his take on some callers’ favorite stocks:
Madrigal Pharmaceuticals: “Oh man, that thing’s insane. Talk about parabolic. Why not take half off the table? Really. You’re not going to get a 400 percent run without some people taking profits. Take them first.”
Edison International: “Oversold, and I don’t think it’s going to be as dangerous as people think. I’d be a buyer.”
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Source: Investment Cnbc
Cramer Remix: Acadia is the most volatile stock I’ve ever covered — and it’s worth speculating on