Cramer's Stop Trading: Applied Materials

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 23, 2026 at 15:13  |  1:49  |  CNBC
Speakers
Jim Cramer — Host, Mad Money

Summary

CNBC's Jim Cramer discussed Applied Materials after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to Buy from Hold, arguing the sell-side is catching up to strong wafer-equipment demand and that Intel-driven demand fears are misplaced. He also defended ASML's strategic position as a monopoly that China fears and wants, despite Davos chatter about European semiconductor-capital-equipment friction. The remainder of the segment shifted to political and entertainment banter.

  • Deutsche Bank upgraded Applied Materials from Hold to Buy.
  • Cramer says memory/storage names need more wafer equipment, supporting Applied Materials.
  • Cramer views sell-side upgrades as capitulations/catching up, not a reason to sell.
  • Cramer dismisses Intel-linked semiconductor demand concerns.
  • Cramer praises ASML as a monopoly that China fears and wants.
  • The segment also includes non-market chat about Davos, Iran, and reality TV.
Ideas
Jim Cramer Host, Mad Money 0:15
Applied Materials upgrade will work.
Applied Materials is a key semiconductor-equipment name, and Cramer argues demand is stronger than the market fears: memory/storage players like SanDisk, Seagate, and Micron need more wafer equipment, Deutsche Bank upgraded AMAT to Buy from Hold on a better outlook, and sell-side analysts are capitulating/catching up. The stock's weakness tied to Intel demand worries is misguided, and he says the recommendation will work.
AMAT HIGH
Jim Cramer Host, Mad Money 1:00
ASML monopoly makes it strategically critical.
Cramer dismisses the Davos/European-friction concern for ASML and emphasizes its strategic strength: ASML is a European semiconductor-equipment leader with a lithography monopoly, China deeply fears it and wants its products, and export restrictions have blocked China from getting them. That monopoly and Western export-control leverage make ASML a critical semicap company.
ASML MED
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This CNBC video, published January 23, 2026, features Jim Cramer discussing AMAT, ASML. 2 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Jim Cramer  · Tickers: AMAT, ASML