Raphael Stevens

Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

Investors should buy big tech stocks next time they plunge and analysts turn bearish, CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Friday.
The “Mad Money” host also gave a rundown on recent developments from each of the FAANG companies, and gave his take on each stock.

Investors should buy FAANG stocks next time they plunge and analysts turn bearish, CNBC’s Jim Cramer said Friday.
When analysts come out in droves to claim FAANG stocks are uninvestable, “that’ll be the perfect moment to do some buying,” he said. FAANG is Cramer’s acronym for Facebook-parent Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google-parent Alphabet.

Cramer said that while analysts tend to praise big tech stocks during weeks like this one, when there’s little news about them reported, investors should beware of analysts turning the other way and churning out “greatly exaggerated” reports of the stocks’ uninvestability when prices are down.
The “Mad Money” host also gave a rundown on recent developments from each of the FAANG companies, and gave his take on each stock.
Meta
Cramer said that CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy of honing in on Reels to beat competitor TikTok, “that could be worth fifty points to the stock.”
Amazon

Cramer said that after looking at “the earnings power of their Web Services division and their advertising business,” he thinks the stock is “ridiculously undervalued.”
Apple
An Apple subscription service, which is reportedly launching later this year for iPhones, would allow them to “easily calculate the lifetime value of their subscribers, which would show Wall Street that the stock is worth a heck of a lot more than what we’re currently paying for it,” Cramer said.
Netflix
The company’s recent acquisition of Boss Fight Entertainment, its third gaming studio, shows that “Netflix promised a whole suite and that’s exactly what you’re getting,” Cramer said.
Alphabet
Google’s recently updated app store terms that offers third-party billing for app makers “means many content creators will sign up with Google quickly and make a ton of money,” Cramer said.
Disclosure: Cramer’s Charitable Trust owns shares of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Meta.
Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer’s every move in the market.
Disclaimer

Questions for Cramer?Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC
Want to take a deep dive into Cramer’s world? Hit him up!Mad Money Twitter – Jim Cramer Twitter – Facebook – Instagram
Questions, comments, suggestions for the “Mad Money” website? [email protected]

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday warned that a 50-basis point rate hike could be coming if the March labor report set to be released next Friday reveals a tighter-than-ever job market.
“I fear that it will show the tightest labor market in 50 years. … If Fed Chief Jay Powell doesn’t catch a break when it comes to inflation, then it’s 50-basis point rate hikes for as far as the eye can see,” the “Mad Money” host said.

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Friday warned that a 50-basis point rate hike could be coming if the March labor report set to be released next Friday reveals a tighter-than-ever job market.
“I fear that it will show the tightest labor market in 50 years. … If Fed Chief Jay Powell doesn’t catch a break when it comes to inflation, then it’s 50-basis point rate hikes for as far as the eye can see,” the “Mad Money” host said.

“Even if we get lots of inflationary data next week, I think it’s already being reflected in the stock market, as we’ve come to accept the fact that the Federal Reserve is on a mission to” tamp down inflation, he added.
Cramer’s comments come after traders issued predictions for half-point rate hikes in May and June in response to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s pledge on Monday to act aggressively against skyrocketing inflation.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.4% on Friday, while the S&P increased 0.5%. The Nasdaq Composite inched lower 0.2%. All three major averages rose for a second consecutive week.
Market rallies this week were driven by investors who are hopeful that Russia will halt its invasion of Ukraine and “terrified that they won’t own enough stock in the unlikely event that peace breaks out over the weekend,” Cramer said.
He also previewed next week’s slate of companies reporting quarterly earnings. All earnings and revenue estimates are courtesy of FactSet.

Monday: Dave & Buster’s
Dave & Buster’s

Q4 2021 earnings release after the close; conference call on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: 61 cents
Projected revenue: $364 million

“They’re both restaurant stocks and retailers, and two have become pariahs in this market. … Let’s hear what they have to say,” Cramer said.
Tuesday: McCormick, Micron, Lululemon, PVH, RH
McCormick

Q1 2022 earnings release at 6:30 a.m. ET; conference call at 8 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: 62 cents
Projected revenue: $1.47 billion

Cramer said he expects the company to report great numbers due to the popularity of hybrid work that keeps people cooking at home.
Micron

Q2 2022 earnings release after the close; conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET
Projected EPS: $1.98
Projected revenue: $7.53 billion

Micron could tell “a story about demand coupled with not enough new supply to upset the Apple cart of pricing,” Cramer said, adding that he believes the stock is a buy for investors interested in domestic semiconductor stocks.
Lululemon

Q4 2021 earnings release at 4:05 p.m. ET; conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET
Projected EPS: $3.27
Projected revenue: $2.14 billion

“Maybe they can stem the selling with this conference call,” Cramer said. “It’s been its own private bear market.”
PVH

Q4 2021 earnings release after the close; conference call on Wednesday at 9 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $2.00
Projected revenue: $2.38 billion

Cramer said he doesn’t expect a big quarter from PVH, noting its “clobbered” stock.
RH

Q4 2021 earnings release after the close; conference call at 5 p.m. ET
Projected EPS: $5.59
Projected revenue: $931 million

RH will crush the numbers yet again this quarter, Cramer predicted.
Wednesday: Paychex, Five Below
Paychex

Q3 2022 earnings release before the bell; conference call at 9:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $1.05
Projected revenue: $1.22 billion

“This company has a history of delivering beat and raise quarters. With this red-hot employment market, I doubt they could be a disappointment,” Cramer said.
Five Below

Q4 2021 earnings release at 7 a.m. ET
Investor Day at 9 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $2.48
Projected revenue: $1.01 billion

“Lots of analysts have been praising this one lately. I suspect that means they’re going to have good numbers because Wall Street hasn’t been too enthusiastic about retail in general,” Cramer said.
Thursday: Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance 

Q2 2022 earnings release at 7 a.m. ET; conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET
Projected EPS: $1.37
Projected revenue: $33.18 billion

Cramer said he hopes to see Walgreens catching up to competitor CVS. “What’s Walgreens going to do to challenge them? I don’t know, let’s find out.” He said.

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

Monday – Friday, 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET

It’s that time again! “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer rings the lightning round bell, which means he’s giving his answers to callers’ stock questions at rapid speed.

Loading chart…

Bank of America Corp: “It’s one of these companies that is not expensive with very good management that I want to own.”

Loading chart…

Alcoa Corp: “This thing is up in a straight line. … That’s an unusual parabolic move for that company.”

Loading chart…

Loading chart…

Archer Aviation Inc: “I’m not going to go there. … Losing money is what I think that company’s going to do in spades before it has any hope.”

Loading chart…

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

JetBlue says it is adding staff to crew scheduling to avoid long waits flight attendants have faced for assignments and schedule changes.
Airlines are gearing up for a monster summer and are scrambling to fill jobs
Alaska Airlines last week said it would offer flight attendants double pay if they exceeded a certain number of hours through May.

JetBlue planes at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport
Leslie Josephs | CNBC

JetBlue Airways on Friday urged patience from its flight attendants as it races to hire hundreds of new employees before what it expects to be a monster travel season this spring and summer.
“Please do not refuse an assignment you are assigned to operate; it is disruptive to the operation, lets down your fellow Crewmembers, and disappoints our Customers who rely on us to safely get them to their destination,” Ed Baklor, head of customer care and programs, said in an email to flight attendants, which was seen by CNBC.

Travel demand snapped back faster than airlines had expected and they are now trying to hire thousands of workers to handle a surge in passengers this spring and summer.
Airline CEOs this and last week told investors that they expect that strong demand — and customers’ willingness to pay more for tickets — will help cover the recent surge in fuel prices.
“We are still unprofitable after two years and now face rising fuel prices and other inflationary pressures that make it challenging for everyone,” JetBlue’s Baklor wrote to crews. “With strong consumer demand and record hiring, we are anticipating a healthy summer. We will see the other side of this if we can count on your continued patience, partnership and teamwork along the way.”
JetBlue didn’t immediately comment, but CEO Robin Hayes told a JPMorgan conference last week that the industry is facing capacity constraints partly driven by staffing.
Baklor told crews that the airline is on track to hire 700 new pilots and flight attendants before the summer and that the carrier doesn’t want to simply hire for peak periods because it could mean overstaffing during seasonal lulls after the summer.
Last week, Alaska Airlines and the flight attendants’ union reached an agreement to offer double pay after flight attendants fly more than 100 trips per pay, a pay unit based on trip length, in each month through May.

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

NFL owners are prepping for another round of debates about the league’s overtime rules, which came under renewed scrutiny after the playoffs.
“I think there’s a lot of momentum to have a change,” Atlanta Falcons President and Chief Executive Rich McKay said Friday when discussing the overtime rule. 
The NFL will hold its annual meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, this weekend through Wednesday.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on January 23rd, 2022 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
William Purnell | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images

NFL owners are prepping for another round of debates about the league’s overtime rules, which came under renewed scrutiny after one of the most exciting playoff games in history. There could be something in the works, too.
“I think there’s a lot of momentum to have a change,” Atlanta Falcons President and Chief Executive Rich McKay said Friday when discussing the overtime rule. 

The NFL will hold its annual meetings in Palm Beach, Florida, this weekend through Wednesday. The gathering brings together owners, team presidents, coaches and league staff in one location to discuss gameplay operations and business. 
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be peppered with inquiries around league media deals. And there could be minor renewals regarding assets that include radio rights and ticketing. NFL team owners will also debate amending Rule 16 – known as the overtime rule.
The rule allows each team to possess the ball in extra play unless the club that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown. If the opening drive results in a field goal, the opposing team gets the opportunity to match the score or touchdown to win. And if there’s a turnover, the first team to score wins.
The discussions around overtime come more than two months after the 2021 NFL’s playoffs, which saw six of the final seven games decided by three points or less. 
The Kansas City Chiefs’ 42-36 win against the Buffalo Bills in January 2022 came in overtime. The Chiefs scored the opening touchdown and eliminated the Bills from the postseason following a thrilling comeback. Critics of the overtime rule said the Bills should have had a chance to match the Chiefs’ touchdown, resulting in a new push to change the rule.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) reaches for the game winning reception over Buffalo Bills outside linebacker Matt Milano (58) during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game on January 23rd, 2022 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
William Purnell | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images

Inside Rule 16

The NFL last modified the overtime rule at its March 2010 meetings in Orlando, when it changed to the current format for playoff games. During the March 2012 annual meetings, owners approved expanding the format to the regular season.
This year, owners will debate the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles’ proposal that requests possessions for both teams in overtime, regardless of whether a touchdown is scored on the first possession. The clubs cite “competitive equity” as a reason for the change.
The Tennessee Titans also want the rule changed – slightly.
Under the Titans’ proposal, the team that scores a touchdown on the opening drive would also need a two-point conversion to win. 
On a call with reporters on Friday to discuss the proposals, McKay, the chairman of the NFL’s Competition Committee, said “data and analytics” support a change to Rule 16. He noted how there have been 12 postseason overtimes since the current rule was implemented, adding that the coin-toss-winning team has won 10 times. Seven of those victories came on the first drive, including the Chiefs’ win. 
“That’s why there’s a discussion on a rules modification,” said McKay.
To amend the overtime rule, 24 out of 32 owners need to vote in favor of a proposal, a task McKay admitted could be difficult. The rule change proposed by the Colts and Eagles could have an impact on competitiveness. Allowing both teams an automatic possession could prolong games and increase the risk for injuries. 
The current overtime rule already allows both teams a chance for a possession – should the defense stop the offense on the first possession.
Team owners will hear from the coaches sub-committee during debates.  
McKay said a vote to change the rule would be a “pretty big hill to climb the first time.” Yet should the league change Rule 16, McKay hinted the Titans’ proposal would make more sense.
“If you feel like your defense is tired – you’ve scored, they’ve already scored – you have that opportunity to win the game at that point by going for two, which I think the analytics department believes many would,” McKay said.
“That’s the discussion we are going to have when we get to Palm Beach,” McKay added.

(L-R) Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California.
Kevin C. Cox | Getty Images

Other business to settle 

On the NFL’s business front, it’s unlikely team owners will decide on significant media assets currently on the marketplace, including the Sunday Ticket package. On March 16, CNBC reported a decision around the $2.5 billion media package would likely come during the 2022 season.
Also, expect more rumblings around potential investment partners for the NFL’s media arm. The entity operates NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL.com and NFL’s international property. It’s unclear what it could net.
Instead, smaller deals that could be completed at the meetings include the NFL’s satellite radio rights with Liberty Media-owned SiriusXM and network radio rights with Cumulus Media’s Westwood One. It’s unclear how much the deals are worth, but for a reference point, Westwood’s 2009 NFL renewal reportedly paid the NFL more than $30 million annually.
The NFL’s deal with Ticketmaster is also on the table, industry sources have told CNBC. The league renewed this agreement in 2017, and it grants Ticketmaster the rights to the league’s ticket resale marketplace. Sports Business Journal also reported a renewal is likely.
Westwood One and Ticketmaster did not immediately return a CNBC request for comment on about its NFL partnerships.
The NFL also wants to finalize agreements before the 2022 season around its Super Bowl Halftime Show rights, which Pepsi licenses. In October 2021, CNBC reported NFL is seeking $25 million to $50 million annually for that asset. The NFL’s wine and champagne rights are on the market.
NFL club presidents will also get more perspective around a new team asset. On Tuesday, the NFL permitted teams to seek blockchain sponsorships with platforms like Coinbase and FTX.

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

Airlines’ costs are rising along with a rebound in travel demand.
Fuel prices and labor costs, airlines’ two biggest expenses, have increased sharply.
Frontier’s CEO Barry Biffle says the discount carrier should be profitable this summer.

Travelers can expect higher airfares this spring and summer, even on discount airlines.
Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle told CNBC’s “Closing Bell” Friday that bookings and what travelers are paying for tickets as well as add-ons like baggage fees are the highest in the pandemic.

“Even with the high fuel prices we believe we can be profitable this summer,” Biffle said.
Jet fuel, generally airlines’ biggest expense after labor costs, has jumped 80% so far this year in the U.S. to the highest levels since 2008 in March as Western nations imposed sanctions on Russia in protests of its attack on Ukraine.
“We’ll have to gently raise our fares,” Biffle said.
Denver-based Frontier Airlines doesn’t hedge fuel by locking in prices using futures contracts. Some big U.S. carriers like American Airlines abandoned fuel-hedging programs after oil prices cratered in 2014. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines continue to hedge, however.
Airlines are also struggling to ramp up staffing in a tight labor market. During the pandemic, a $54 billion federal aid package prohibited U.S. carriers from laying off staff, but carriers urged thousands of employees to take early retirement or other optional packages.

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More

The FAA logged a record 5,981 reports of unruly passenger behavior last year.
More than 70% of the reports are tied to disputes over masks.
The federal mask mandate is in place through April 18.

Federal Aviation Administration chief Steve Dickson said Friday that the agency’s “zero tolerance” policy toward unruly passengers will continue, even though reports of bad behavior have declined from last year’s record.
The FAA established the policy in January 2021 in hopes of stemming a surge of disruptive passengers, threatening fines of up to $35,000 and possible jail time. Flight attendant unions had urged the agency to step in due to the rise in incidents on board.

“We have seen over the last year a significant decline in these incidents but they continue to occur at too high of a rate,” Dickson said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “We will be keeping the zero tolerance policy in place.”
The FAA logged a record 5,981 reports of unruly passenger behavior last year with more than 70% of those cases tied to passengers who refused to wear masks on board and began 1,121 investigations. So far this year, it has received 961 reports of disruptive passengers, 635 of them tied to the mask mandate.
Dickson credited the agency’s public service announcements with helping drive down cases of such behavior.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson prepares to testify during the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on “Implementation of Aviation Safety Reform” on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images

“I’ve even been on TMZ to make sure we’re reaching the public and making sure that they understand that this kind of behavior is not acceptable on airplanes and it’s got to stop,” he said.
The Biden administration extended the mask mandate through April 18 and hasn’t said whether it would lift the rule then, despite repeated pleas by airlines to scrap the rule.

“From the FAA’s standpoint, we don’t take a position on what the public health protocols are,” Dickson said.
The mask mandate and predeparture Covid tests for international travelers “are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment,” airline CEOs wrote to President Joe Biden on Wednesday. The White House did not comment on the letter.
Dickson steps down March 31 about halfway through his five-year term. The Biden administration hasn’t named a successor, leaving the agency without a leader as it faces the rapid return of air travel after a two-year pandemic slump and with pending reviews of several Boeing aircraft.

WATCH LIVEWATCH IN THE APP More