‘Odd time’ for markets but earnings matter again

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday outlined his game plan for next week after Wall Street concluded its first five trading sessions of 2022.

The “Mad Money” host said it’s “a bit of an odd time” for markets right now, “almost as if many stocks have to take their medicine and then get back on track. “

“This week we saw the unprofitable techs get a drubbing, which then spread into the more mature, profitable ones,” Cramer said. However, he added, “it’s a heck of a lot easier to buy the stock of an established company that’s actually making money. Yep, earnings are what matters again, tangible GAAP earnings.”

Here’s what Cramer is watching for next week. All revenue and earnings estimates are from FactSet.

JPMorgan Health Care Conference

Now in its 40th year, the JPMorgan Health Care Conference is a hugely influential event, Cramer said, explaining that company presentations made there are known to move stocks. The virtual conference starts Monday and lasts through Thursday.

Tilray

• Q2 2022 earnings before the bell; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET Monday
• Projected loss: Loss of 7 cents per share
• Projected revenue: $200 million

Albertsons

• Q3 2021 earnings before the open; conference call at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday
• Projected EPS: 61 cents
• Projected sales: $16.34 billion

While shares of Albertsons have pulled back from their recent highs, Cramer said he thinks the grocery chain’s stock has more room to run. He suggested that investors who are interested in owning the stock buy some Monday ahead of Tuesday’s quarterly print.

Dell Technologies

• Virtual fireside chat at 3:30 p.m. ET Tuesday

Chairman and CEO Michael Dell is set to speak at Bank of America’s View from the Top CEO Series, and Cramer said he’s interested to hear the executive’s outlook now that Dell completed its spin-off of VMWare. Cramer said he personally believes the future is bright, recommending investors buy shares before and after Tuesday’s scheduled presentation.

KB Home

• Q4 2021 earnings after the close; conference call at 5 p.m. ET Wednesday
• Projected EPS: $1.77
• Projected revenue: $1.71 billion

Investors are closely watching the impact that higher interest rates have on mortgage rates and, by extension, demand for homes, Cramer said. He said he thinks KB Home’s stock could move higher if it reports Wednesday because he expects strong results.

Delta Air Lines

• Q4 2021 earnings before the bell; conference call at 10 a.m. ET Thursday
• Projected EPS: 13 cents
• Projected revenue: $8.86 billion

Cramer said investors will be focusing less on how Delta’s business has been and more on how the company expects it to be as the Covid pandemic progresses.

“Do they think business travelers will come back? Can they staff their planes sufficiently? Are fares going higher?” Cramer asked rhetorically. “While I like Disney for my charitable trust and think that American Express can keep running, I’m skeptical about how far Delta’s stock can go in this environment.”

Wells Fargo

• Q4 2021 earnings before the bell; conference call at 10 a.m. ET Friday
• Projected EPS: $1.10
• Projected revenue: $18.67 billion

Cramer, whose charitable trust has a sizable position in Wells Fargo, said he believes the bank is going to have a strong 2022. However, he acknowledged the stock is off a hot start, up roughly 14% year to date already. He said it’s not clear that pace can continue, but future pullbacks may present buying opportunities.

JPMorgan

• Q4 2021 earnings before the open; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET Friday
• Projected EPS: $3.00
• Projected revenue: $29.85 billion

CEO Jamie Dimon “tends to be very optimistic, but also mixes in a few Molotov’s along with his otherwise easy-to-down economic cocktails,” Cramer said.

BlackRock

• Q4 2021 earnings before the bell; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET Friday
• Projected EPS: $10.10
• Projected revenue: $5.12 billion

Cramer said he expects a strong quarter, adding that he’s looking forward to hearing insights into the company, the market and the economy from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.

Citigroup

• Q4 2021 earnings before the open; conference call at 11 a.m. ET Friday
• Projected EPS: $1.55
• Projected revenue: $16.92 billion

Cramer said he’s watching to see if CEO Jane Fraser can offer commentary that’s optimistic enough to move Citigroup’s stock higher, allowing it to catch up with some peers. Additionally, he said he’s looking for more information about Citi pausing its share repurchase program in December.

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Disclosure: Cramer’s charitable trust owns shares of Wells Fargo and Disney.