Housing Prices Take Their Toll - Cramer's Mad Money (5/13/08)

Stocks discussed in the in-depth session of Jim Cramer’s Mad Money TV program, Tuesday May 13.

CEO Interview: Robert Toll: Toll Brothers (TOL)

The time to buy housing stocks has not yet arrived, Cramer says, and although he notes Toll Brothers' higher revenue and a falling backlog, TOL sold 49% fewer homes than it did last year. Cramer and Robert Toll agree that housing prices are the key to a recovery, and Toll says he supports a $15,000 tax credit for homebuyers as a way to stimulate the economy. He is against the proposal to allocate $300 billion into the Federal Housing Administration. Toll adds he might consider making an acquisition, such as Centex, KB Home or Standard Pacific and said prices in Naples, Florida and some parts of California are slowly rising. Concerning a recovery, Toll is candid: "I wouldn't bet on that just yet."

CEO Interview: CEO Albert Stroucken, Owens-Illinois (OI)

OI seems like a company that is doing everything right; it reported a fantastic quarter, beat estimates by 29 cents a share, improved cash flow and successfully passed raw costs hikes onto its customers through a 7% price increase. However, the glass producer's shares dropped 3% after its earnings report, and Cramer thinks The Street is laboring under the misconception that OI is still struggling with raw costs, which are taken care of by price increases. Stroucken admits his comments that the company might not see as dramatic an increase in the future might have hurt the stock price, but he adds 2009 " is still is going to be a good year-over-year comparison.” Global demand for glass bottles is increasing, especially with growing health concerns about plastic. Stroucken says the industry is ripe for innovation and OI will be at the forefront.

Gary Vaynerchuk author of 101 Wines: Diageo (DEO), Constellation Brands (STZ), Fortune Brands (FO), Brown Forman (BF-B)

Gary Vaynerchuk is like the Cramer of wines; he takes a high-brow subject and makes it comprehensible to the average Joe. Cramer asked Vaynerchuk to discuss wine and spirit companies, and the latter praises DEO for its branding and adds it is more levered to spirits than wine. Vaynerchuk says STZ is DEO's opposite, since it is more levered to wines and is less interested in developing new brands. FO is cashing in on Jim Beam, but is not in the wine business. He comments Brown Forman is a winner thanks to Jack Daniels but is failing in its wine marketing. Vaynerchuk says all of these companies should use web 2.0 social networking to promote their products.

Mad Mail: Marvel (MRVL), Hasbro (HAS), True Religion (TRLG)

Cramer would take profits following jumps in MRVL and HAS on the success of blockbuster Iron Man. While TRLG indeed has a cult following, Cramer would also take profits.

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Comments

[NormanLepoff, M.D.]

Every time he has one of his CEO buddies on he recommends the stock.

[WAKEUP]

Olde Boye Networke.

[vrspace]

As predicted:

April 16 -There is little doubt that next time we here from Bob he will be announcing that Aviano (Naples) has sold out (albeit for the second time) and that sales at Firano have doubled (Naples).-

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