Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer — September 15, 2025
Episode Summary

Overview:

This episode of Mad Money sees Jim Cramer in classic form, guiding listeners through the challenges and opportunities in today’s volatile market. The show focuses on the resilience of the Magnificent Seven (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla), the value of holding versus trading great stocks, Apple's ripple effect in American manufacturing, the Chewy earnings rollercoaster, and the evolving impact of AI data centers via Jacobs Solutions. The episode also features the popular Lightning Round, covering a wide variety of stocks with Cramer’s direct, rapid-fire takes, and closes with his perspective on the debate over quarterly earnings reports.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

The Magnificent Seven: Are Their Best Days Behind Them?

[01:25–09:38]

• Cramer’s Thesis:
  Cramer opens by challenging the persistent refrain that the Magnificent Seven's best days "are behind them," arguing that this mindset causes investors to miss out on continued gains from these powerhouse companies.

• Key Arguments:

  • Excellent balance sheets with “all the money in the world” for innovation and M&A (01:53–02:13).
  • Unrivaled scale and global reach making them “incredibly hard to take on” (02:20).
  • Constant reinvention—Meta’s move from desktop to mobile, acquisitions (Instagram, WhatsApp), proving doubters wrong (02:33).
  • Insider confidence: Elon Musk buying $1 billion of Tesla shares (04:31).
  • Resilience to government scrutiny—Alphabet weathering monopoly charges (06:32–07:43).
  • The market regularly underestimates their ability to grow, innovate, and recover from setbacks.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Their best days are behind them. Those may be the six most damaging words to your portfolio.” – Jim Cramer [01:25]
  • “Management hasn’t changed or there’s been a smooth transition, the seven still present incredibly compelling valuations, even now.” – Jim Cramer [01:38]
  • “No company is completely in control of its own destiny. But these seven—they come as close as anyone ever has.” – Jim Cramer [08:08]

• Cramer’s Advice:
  Own, don’t trade these stocks. “Their best days are still in front of them.” [08:23]
  Bottom Line: “The Magnificent Seven are heroes.” [09:38]

Lightning Round & Listener Q&A

[09:38–12:50, 38:48–43:44]

• Listener Stock Takes:
  Jim fields questions on companies like Toast, United Parcel Service, Citigroup, and more.
  • Toast (TOST): “I actually thought the quarter was excellent… advocating patience because it’s still a great stock.” [10:05]
  • United Parcel Service (UPS): Expresses concern about the high dividend yield as a potential warning sign. [10:41]
  • Citigroup (C): Still likes Citi for its relatively low valuation and solid management. [11:20]

Apple’s Ripple Effect — Interview with Tim Cook (Apple CEO)

[14:45–22:47]

• On Apple’s Domestic Investments:

  • Cramer and Cook discuss Apple’s multi-billion-dollar commitment to boost U.S. manufacturing, particularly in smaller towns like Harrodsburg, Kentucky.
  • The partnership with Corning and its impact on local economies is highlighted.

• Impact Beyond Apple:

  • Investment in manufacturing creates a domino effect, attracting more businesses (16:53).
  • Interplay between private sector initiative and government policy—Cook credits both as important, but emphasizes the role of enterprise.

• On Shareholder Sentiment:

  • Cramer asks if shareholders resent large capital investments rather than buybacks.
    • “Most of our shareholders believe that we’re in the best position to make these types of decisions…I haven’t gotten a single complaint.” – Tim Cook [18:32–18:52]

• China & India Relations:

  • Ongoing positive relationships with both countries, despite geopolitical tensions (19:49–20:19).
  • Engagement and open lines of communication prioritized.

• U.S. Policy & Tariffs:

  • Apple’s U.S. investments likely factor into ongoing tariff discussions with the government, but no explicit quid pro quo (21:08–21:27).

• Notable Quote:

  • “We are putting 600 billion to work in the next four years…79 factories across the US will benefit from this.” – Tim Cook [15:37]

Chewy Earnings: The Selloff That Shouldn’t Have Been

[23:50–32:10]

• Stock Whiplash:

  • Chewy reports a strong quarter with positive guidance, but the stock falls over 16% due to higher SGA expenses and margin guidance.
  • Two analyst upgrades quickly follow, and the stock rebounds 7%.

• What Really Happened:

  • Higher spending attributed to a new, high-tech fulfillment center—Cramer sees this as an investment for long-term efficiency and profitability.
  • Dominance in subscription (Auto Ship) and growing Chewy Plus membership seen as key growth drivers (25:25).

• Private Label Push:

  • Launch of a private label dog food line “Get Real”—higher margin and well received.

• Cramer’s Call:
  “I think it’s crazy that Chewy sold off over 16% in response to a large and good quarter. These investments will make Chewy a better long-term investment. You have my blessing to buy it even after the rally.” [31:47–32:10]

Jacobs Solutions & The Data Center Boom (with CEO Bob Ricard)

[32:10–38:15]

• How AI Data Centers Are Changing Construction:

  • Jacobs has been building data centers since 2007 but now designs “AI factories” with increasing complexity.
  • The partnership with Nvidia—building “digital twins” (virtual replicas of data centers) helps optimize engineering decisions, energy usage, and operational costs before construction begins.

• Why Experience Matters:

  • “There’s a bit of a moat that’s around that as well…history in data centers coupled with complex facility [experience].” – Bob Ricard [33:07]
  • Power needs are soaring; solutions include tapping local grids, on-premise nuclear or LNG generation, and battery storage to handle peak loads (36:07–36:53).

• Surging Growth:

  • Jacobs now benefits from the intersection of semiconductors, pharma (notably GLP-1 drugs), and AI—diversity fueling growth.

Regulation: Trump’s Proposal to End Quarterly Earnings Reports

[43:44–47:18]

• The Debate:

  • Former President Trump calls for biannual reporting (every six months), following the example of the EU and China.
  • Cramer weighs both sides—less frequent reports could ease the burden on management and encourage long-term thinking, but investors would lose transparency and accountability.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “If you’re an investor, you want as much information as possible. Anything that allows companies to give you less data is bad for your portfolio.” – Jim Cramer [46:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Own it, don’t trade it”—Jim Cramer, on long-term conviction in the Magnificent Seven [05:16]
• “I'm not going to tell you to sell heroes unless something changes that makes them feel a lot less heroic. That hasn't happened though.” – Jim Cramer [09:38]
• “Most of our shareholders believe that we’re in the best position to make these types of decisions…” – Tim Cook [18:32]
• “Chewy's giving you a free trial period of 30 days to try Chewy Plus. In the short term that’s going to put pressure on the margins of course. But longer term, I think it’s a great way to lure people in.” – Jim Cramer [29:02]
• “What Nvidia has asked us to do is be the design integrator...We did a digital twin. Now, you can simulate in the virtual space…” – Bob Ricard [34:15]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|--------------------| | Magnificent Seven—Buy & Hold Thesis | 01:25–09:38 | | Listener Q&A / Lightning Round, Part 1 | 09:38–12:50 | | Apple in Kentucky: Tim Cook Interview | 14:45–22:47 | | Chewy Earnings Recap | 23:50–32:10 | | Jacobs Solutions & Data Centers (Bob Ricard) | 32:10–38:15 | | Lightning Round, Part 2 | 38:48–43:44 | | Debate: Quarterly Reporting Regulations | 43:44–47:18 |

Final Takeaways

• Stay Invested in Innovation: Cramer counsels staying invested in top tech/AI names, bucking the trend of panic selling at every headline.
• Growth Investments Are Key: Temporary hits to margins (Chewy, data centers) are necessary for long-term value creation.
• Watch for Ripple Effects: Apple's US investment strategy strengthens not only Apple, but entire communities and supply chains.
• Transparency Matters: Cramer values frequent, detailed reporting for investor protection despite management burdens.
• Lightning Round Wisdom: From gold to tech to utilities, Cramer gives pithy buy/sell/hold advice, reinforcing the need for selectivity and patience.

This summary distills the core topics, maintains the energetic tone of the conversation, and organizes the episode for listeners wanting actionable investment insights and context behind the news.