Mad Money with Jim Cramer – Episode Summary (August 6, 2025)

Host: Jim Cramer
Podcast: Mad Money
Release Date: August 6, 2025
Description: "Mad Money" offers listeners an inside look into Wall Street's dynamics, featuring Jim Cramer's passionate insights and the popular Lightning Round where he shares buy, sell, and hold recommendations.

1. Market Overview and Current Trends

Jim Cramer opens the episode by expressing his concerns about the current stock market dynamics. He highlights the paradox of expensive stocks that seem overvalued rising despite poor fundamentals, while solid companies experience neglect or declines even when they report positive earnings.

Jim Cramer [00:23]: "This market is driving the best investors I know crazy, and I know why. Incredibly expensive stocks that shouldn't go up endlessly... Stocks that are heavily shorted just steamroll the short sellers like an M1 Abrams tank."

He points out the volatility driven by individual stock narratives rather than broad market movements, citing discrepancies in the performance of major indices:

• Dow Jones: +81 points
• S&P 500: +0.737%
• Nasdaq: +1.21%

2. Deep Dive into Specific Stocks

Palantir Technologies (PLTR):
Cramer praises Palantir as a "juggernaut meme stock" driven by CEO Alex Karp’s effective leadership and strong financial performance.

Jim Cramer [01:10]: "Palantir... part sledgehammer, part laser, part nuclear bomb... this guy is crushing it like no other."

He shares an anecdote about a friend betting against Palantir using put options, emphasizing the stock's resilience against short-selling.

Amazon (AMZN):
Cramer discusses Amazon's robust retail performance contrasted with its Amazon Web Services (AWS) division. Despite a narrative of underinvestment in technology leading to competition from Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, Amazon's recent strategic deals suggest potential for rebound.

Jim Cramer [04:50]: "Amazon announced a deal with Open Air that could be the beginning of an effort to catch up... The shorts will have to cover, hence the stock's 5% gain."

Apple (AAPL):
Apple faces challenges with no clear AI strategy and pressure from political factors, particularly tariffs affecting its manufacturing locations.

Jim Cramer [05:30]: "Apple will increase its investment to $600 billion, supporting a new American manufacturing plant program across 50 states... the shorts will have to cover."

Disney (DIS):
Despite beating quarterly earnings, Disney's stock suffered due to insufficient guidance improvement, illustrating how positive results can be negated by cautious future projections.

Jim Cramer [06:50]: "Disney beat the earnings estimates by 14 cents, but didn't pass all that beat on to the full year guidance. That's deadly suicidal."

Honeywell (HON) and DuPont (DD):
Both companies reported excellent quarters but saw limited stock movement, reflecting a market indifferent to their strong performances until further catalysts emerge.

3. Listener Calls and the Lightning Round

Jim engages with several listeners during the Lightning Round, providing quick stock recommendations:

• PayPal (PYPL):
  Recommendation: Hold
  Alternative Suggestion: Capital One (COF)

  Jim Cramer [08:14]: "There are so many other better ones out there. May I suggest Capital One... Richard Fairbank is a genius."

• Coca-Cola (KO):
  Recommendation: Avoid

  Jim Cramer [09:40]: "No, Christopher, we're not going there. It’s down 10% for the year."

• Micron Technology (MU):
  Recommendation: Wait

  Jim Cramer [26:35]: "DRAM pricing has been going down... Until DRAM pricing stabilizes a little bit more, we have to wait."

• AMD (Advanced Micro Devices):
  Recommendation: Buy

  Jim Cramer [39:00]: "This is the pause that refreshes. I like the pullback. Buy some."

Other stocks discussed include Salesforce (CRM), Quantumscape (QS), NIO, Riot (RIOT), and ISRG, with mixed recommendations ranging from cautious optimism to outright avoidance based on current performance and market trends.

4. In-Depth Interview: Colleen Keating, CEO of Planet Fitness

Jim Cramer interviews Colleen Keating, CEO of Planet Fitness, celebrating the company's decade as a public entity. They discuss Planet Fitness's strategies, including brand refinement, enhancing member experience, and optimizing gym formats.

Colleen Keating [11:48]: "We've really leaned in on our strategic imperatives... refine our brand, enhance the member experience, and optimize our format to ensure relevance."

Key Highlights:

• Membership Growth: Gen Z is the fastest-growing segment, with high utilization rates indicating strong engagement.
• Franchise Model: A robust network of sophisticated franchisees contributes to consistent growth and expansion.
• Black Card Membership: Offers reciprocity across clubs nationwide, enhancing flexibility for members like Cramer who travel frequently.
• Post-COVID Recovery: Planet Fitness maintained operations without permanent closures, reflecting resilience and increasing fitness consciousness across generations.

Colleen Keating [16:24]: "We're in the golden age of fitness... more fitness-minded and thoughtful about a fitness routine."

Jim Cramer sees the recent stock dip as a potential buying opportunity, commending Planet Fitness's performance relative to the S&P 500.

5. Technical Market Analysis with Jessica Inskip

Cramer introduces Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research at Fidelity, to discuss the technical aspects of the market:

• S&P 500 Analysis:
  • Bull Market Status: Still in a secular bull mode despite recent pullbacks.
  • Moving Averages: The 13-week moving average crossing above the 2613 red, indicating bullish trends.
  • Volatility Indicators: Widening Bollinger Bands suggest increased volatility ahead.

Jessica Inskip [Technical Insights]: "The S&P is experiencing a healthy pattern of price retracement, but the bulls are still in charge."

• Equal-Weighted S&P 500:
  Struggling to make new highs, showing signs of bearish divergence with the MACD indicator pointing towards potential declines.

• Technology Sector (XLK):
  Strong performance with key resistance levels breached, yet facing potential volatility due to widening Bollinger Bands. The tech sector's performance is closely tied to the US dollar's strength.

Jim Cramer [Technical Insight]: "Whenever the dollar rallies, the tech sector gets hit... Recent weakening of the dollar has been beneficial for tech stocks."

Conclusion from Inskip: The bull market remains intact, but investors should brace for increased volatility and monitor critical support levels to gauge future market movements.

6. Exclusive Interview: Jason Robbins, CEO of DraftKings

In a candid discussion, Jason Robbins, Co-founder and CEO of DraftKings, shares insights into the company's strong quarterly performance and the evolving landscape of sports betting:

Jason Robbins [28:36]: "Q2 is a good quarter... more than double our highest adjusted earnings quarter previously."

Key Topics:

• Revenue Growth: Achieved 37% revenue growth, outperforming expectations with increased player numbers and higher spend per player.
• Regulatory Landscape: Navigating the complexities of state regulations and recent changes affecting gambling tax implications.
• Market Expansion: Optimistic about future legalization across more states, envisioning widespread adoption of sports betting.
• Product Innovation: Emphasis on responsible betting and enhancing user experience to drive growth.

Jason Robbins [29:42]: "We're still seeing a ton of growth and really able to start making real profit."

Cramer probes into DraftKings' strategies for upcoming sports seasons, highlighting the company's focus on leveraging major events like the NFL to sustain momentum.

Jim Cramer [30:25]: "Eagles are the second most bet on team... someone put a $25,000 bet on the Raiders to win the Super Bowl with a $2.5 million payout."

Regulatory Challenges:
Robbins addresses concerns about changing gambling tax laws, emphasizing the need for collaboration with regulators to rectify unintended tax implications.

Jason Robbins [32:23]: "We’re working with congressional members to fix it... It doesn't make sense to pay income tax on something that's not actually income."

7. Final Thoughts and Strategies

Jim Cramer concludes the episode by emphasizing the importance of combining anecdotal insights with empirical data for effective stock picking. He advocates for a methodical approach:

1. Observation: Start with personal experiences and observations.
2. Empirical Validation: Use data sources like 100x to confirm trends and align anecdotal insights with broader patterns.
3. Fundamental Analysis: Ensure the company's fundamentals support the investment decision.

Jim Cramer [40:16]: "First, you start with the anecdotal from your own powers of observation. Then you try to get empirical data that agrees with what you see to confirm that you're not an outlier."

He highlights examples such as:

• Reddit (RUN): Observing active user engagement and corroborating with data showing increased future use.
• Starbucks (SBUX): Noticing quicker service times and validating it with customer surveys indicating similar experiences.

Cramer encourages listeners to utilize both personal insights and data-driven analysis to enhance their investment strategies, reinforcing the show's mission to educate and empower investors.

8. Conclusion

Jim Cramer wraps up by reaffirming his commitment to helping listeners navigate the complexities of the stock market. He underscores the significance of staying informed, being curious, and utilizing available data to make informed investment decisions.

Jim Cramer [43:40]: "If you have the right information and you're a believer, your odds of a successful investment are just much higher. That's what made Money is all about."

Key Takeaways:

• Market Volatility: Be prepared for increased fluctuations and focus on strong fundamentals.
• Stock Recommendations: Diversify with a mix of high-performing stocks and cautious plays.
• Investment Strategy: Combine personal observations with empirical data for well-rounded decision-making.
• Growth Sectors: Technology and fitness industries show resilience and potential for continued growth.

Disclaimer:
All opinions expressed by Jim Cramer on this podcast are solely his and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBCUniversal, or their affiliates. Listeners should conduct their own research or consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.