Jim Cramer

Jason Strasser (strassa2) · #1 03-19-2007, 08:05 PM

Okay everyone has seen Jim Cramer's mad money show on CNBC. I kindof enjoy watching him, although I have no clue if he actually knows anything about finance. I am discouraged by the fact that my grandmother listens to his every word and buys/sells anything he says. Am I the only one who likes watching this guy? Does he know what he is talking about?

SNOWBALL · #2 03-19-2007, 08:12 PM

Anyone who knows a lot about the stock market would be too busy getting incredibly rich to do a tv show. Also, sharing your information decreases your edge.

El Diablo · #3 03-19-2007, 08:17 PM

Jason,

I find Cramer to be perhaps the most irritating finance commentator on TV.

I don't follow him closely, but from what I've read in the past I'm under the impression that he has generally somewhat underperformed the market.

I'm not sure that following guys like this broadcasting to huge audiences is ever a really great strategy.

The4Aces · #4 03-19-2007, 08:19 PM

He used to run a very successful hedge fund. He is very rich and started out poor. So he must have done something right. However, I think the TV show should be treated just like any other TV show... entertainment.

lapoker17 · #5 03-19-2007, 08:21 PM

he's a moron. i've read a lot about him and used to actually like him - prob 6 yrs ago - but he's morphed into an idiot.

cwsiggy · #6 03-19-2007, 08:25 PM

He supposedly returned 24% net of fees!!! per year at his hedge fund over a 12 year period. He ran about 300 million, and those returns were probably jacked up by his huge allotment of IPO's which worked well back wehn he ran that money. This puts him in the league of Warren Buffet but who knows what his real returns were.

I think his show is obviously hammed up for TV but there is no question the guy is very smart and more inmportantly a good "street" trader

lapoker17 · #7 03-19-2007, 08:28 PM

[ QUOTE ]
He used to run a very successful hedge fund.

[/ QUOTE ]

eh, not sure how true this is on final inspection (it was certainly wildly successful in the late 90's - but what wasn't). he definitely makes a lot of claims, but i've heard some conflicting info from people who are in the know.

calmasahinducow · #8 03-19-2007, 08:30 PM

[ QUOTE ]
He supposedly returned 24% net of fees!!! per year at his hedge fund over a 12 year period. He ran about 300 million, and those returns were probably jacked up by his huge allotment of IPO's which worked well back wehn he ran that money. This puts him in the league of Warren Buffet but who knows what his real returns were.

I think his show is obviously hammed up for TV but there is no question the guy is very smart and more inmportantly a good "street" trader

[/ QUOTE ]

He also managed a tech mutual fund which lost 99.5% of its value in 2000-2002.

Jason Strasser (strassa2) · #9 03-19-2007, 08:30 PM

el D i can see why u think he is annoying, for some reason I am not annoyed by him. I actually watch the show hoping to be annoyed and am usually not.

calmasahinducow · #10 03-19-2007, 08:35 PM

Henry Blodget (lol) has written a bunch of stuff in Slate recently about Jim Cramer.

http://www.slate.com/id/2158497/

In that article there's a link to a website that shows that the stocks that Cramer recommended in 2006 underperformed a bunch of index funds. Their methodology is a bit sketchy, but it's an interesting site nevertheless:

http://madmoneymachine.com/portfolios/portfolios2006