Every single trading day at 6:45 PM Eastern, something almost magical happens on television. The lights dim a little, the soundboard gets slammed, and for five frantic minutes Jim Cramer becomes the fastest stock oracle on the planet. Last night was no different – and a few names really stood out when the lightning round bell rang.
I’ve watched these segments religiously for years, and I still get that little rush when the phone lines open. There’s something raw about it: real people, real money, real quick takes with zero filter. Last night, four stocks got the Cramer treatment, and honestly, his answers were more revealing than most hour-long analyst reports.
The One Stock Cramer Says You Should Never Sell Right Now
Let’s start with the clearest message of the night. A caller asked about DuPont de Nemours (DD), the industrial and materials science giant that’s been quietly rebuilding itself after years of spin-offs and restructuring.
Cramer’s answer was immediate and emphatic: “Do not sell DuPont.”
Do not sell DuPont.
That’s about as strong a hold-to-buy signal as you’ll ever get from the man. In Cramer-speak, “do not sell” at this stage of a company’s turnaround often means he sees meaningful upside still ahead. DuPont has been cleaning house – literally spinning off its slower-growth units and focusing on high-margin electronics, water treatment, and healthcare materials. The street has noticed, but maybe not enough yet.
In my experience watching these cycles, when Cramer gives that exact phrase to a blue-chip industrial in the middle of a transformation, the stock usually has another solid leg up over the next 12-24 months. I’m not saying it’s going to double overnight, but the risk/reward right here feels heavily skewed to the reward side.
Why DuPont Might Still Be Undervalued
Think about it this way. The company is now leaner, more focused, and sitting on some of the strongest intellectual property in advanced materials. From semiconductor coatings to next-generation water filtration, DuPont touches industries that aren’t going anywhere – in fact, they’re growing fast.
- Semiconductor demand keeps roaring higher
- Water scarcity is a mega-trend nobody can ignore
- Healthcare spending continues climbing globally
- Management finally has a clear strategy after years of confusion
Put those together and you start to understand why Cramer didn’t hedge even a little bit. He didn’t say “wait for a pullback” or “it’s okay but nothing special.” Just four words: Do not sell DuPont.
Enterprise Products Partners – The Quiet Income Machine
Moving down the list, another caller asked about Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), the midstream energy giant that’s been a favorite of income investors forever.
Cramer’s take was short but extremely positive: “I like EPD… That’s the one you want to be in.”
He’s been pounding the table on high-quality midstream names for months now, and Enterprise keeps making the cut. Why? Because in a world where bond yields have come down but people still need income, EPD offers something close to bond-like stability with an equity kicker.
Let’s be real – the yield is sitting north of 7% as I write this, and the company has raised its distribution for 26 consecutive years. Twenty-six! That kind of track record doesn’t happen by accident.
I like EPD… That’s the one you want to be in.
– Jim Cramer, December 12, 2025
Personally, I sleep better at night owning pieces of actual pipelines and storage terminals than I do owning most tech darlings that can lose 30% in a week. Midstream has become the new “defensive growth” sector, and Enterprise sits right at the top of the heap.
T-Mobile Facing the Death Star – Cramer’s Real Worry
Now we get to the most entertaining – and honestly concerning – moment of the night. Someone asked about T-Mobile (TMUS), and Cramer didn’t hold back.
His exact words: “T-Mobile’s being hurt by the death star that’s Elon Musk, and I have to tell you, I would be worried too… It has not settled down yet.”
Look, I laughed out loud when he called Starlink the “death star” – but he’s not entirely wrong. The combination of Starlink’s rapid rural rollout plus whatever Apple is cooking up with satellite connectivity has suddenly made the old story of “T-Mobile dominates rural coverage” a lot less certain.
Cramer has been a huge T-Mobile bull for years, so hearing genuine caution in his voice actually matters. This isn’t some random analyst downgrade – this is the guy who rode the stock from $40 to $200 telling you the competitive landscape just shifted under everyone’s feet.
- Starlink adding hundreds of thousands of subscribers monthly
- Apple reportedly preparing direct-to-cell satellite service
- Rural coverage advantage potentially neutralized
- Pricing power could come under pressure
Does this mean sell T-Mobile tomorrow? No. But it absolutely means the easy money part of this trade might be over for now. Sometimes the most valuable thing Cramer gives us isn’t a buy or sell call – it’s early warning when the story starts cracking.
Lumentum – When “Too Far, Too Fast” Actually Matters
Finally, a caller asked about Lumentum Holdings (LITE), the optical components company that’s been on an absolute tear thanks to data center buildout and AI demand.
Cramer’s response was measured: “I think it’s had such a run… I can’t say yes to that.”
This is classic Cramer – recognizing when momentum has gotten ahead of fundamentals. Lumentum has more than doubled this year, and while the long-term story around 800G and 1.6T optics remains intact, sometimes you just have to acknowledge that trees don’t grow to the sky.
I’ve been guilty of chasing these kinds of runs before, and nine times out of ten you end up buying the top. When Cramer says he “can’t say yes” to something that’s already had a massive move, smart money usually listens.
So where does this leave us after last night’s lightning round?
Two names got unequivocal thumbs-up (DuPont and Enterprise Products), one got a yellow flag that actually feels pretty red (T-Mobile), and one got the polite pass that usually means “maybe later, but definitely not here.”
The bigger takeaway, though? Cramer still believes there are quality compounders out there – they’re just not all in the magnificent seven anymore. Sometimes the best opportunities are hiding in plain sight in industrials and infrastructure, not just the latest AI darling.
I’ll be keeping DuPont on my core watchlist and probably adding to Enterprise on any weakness. T-Mobile stays in the “watch carefully” pile, and Lumentum goes to the “maybe next year” category.
That’s the beauty of the lightning round – five minutes of television that can genuinely move billions of dollars. And last night, it felt like we all got a pretty clear roadmap of where one of the sharpest minds in the business thinks the real money is right now.
Just remember: these are quick takes, not gospel. Always do your own homework. But when Jim Cramer tells you straight up “do not sell” something that’s been quietly transforming itself for years? Well, I know which side of that trade I’d rather be on.
