Cramer explains why this time, Fed rate cuts should take a different approach.
Market Overview: Wall Street started the week positively, with the tech-led Nasdaq reaching an all-time high. Investors are anticipating key inflation reports, while weak jobs data has increased expectations for potential Fed rate cuts by year-end.
Home Depot's Potential: Jim Cramer believes Home Depot is poised for a positive market reaction as mortgage rates drop below 6.5%, contrasting with last year's performance when rate cuts did not lead to sustained bond yield declines.
Broadcom's Performance: Broadcom shares surged following strong earnings and the announcement of a new major customer, marking a five-session winning streak and solidifying its position as the largest holding in Jim Cramer's portfolio.
Stock Highlights: In a rapid-fire segment, stocks such as Chewy, Kenvue, and Robinhood Markets were discussed, with Jim Cramer emphasizing the importance of trade alerts for subscribers of the CNBC Investing Club.
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- REIT Stability: Realty Income, the world's sixth-largest REIT, owns over 15,500 properties with top tenants like Dollar General and FedEx, boasting a forward dividend yield of 5.1%, and its impressive track record of 30 consecutive years of dividend increases underscores its stability and growth potential.
- Delivery Giant Resilience: United Parcel Service has never cut its dividend since going public in 1999, currently offering a 5.6% dividend yield, with projected free cash flow of $6.5 billion in 2023, sufficient to cover $5.4 billion in dividends, highlighting its strong financial health and growth prospects.
- Telecom Growth Potential: Verizon Communications offers a 6.1% dividend yield and has increased its dividend for 19 consecutive years, with free cash flow expected to rise to $21.5 billion in 2026, indicating robust growth following its acquisition of Frontier Communications, which strengthens its market position.
- Market Volatility and Investment Strategy: Despite increasing market volatility and concerns over a potential AI stock bubble, high-yield stocks like Realty Income, UPS, and Verizon present attractive options for investors, particularly in uncertain economic conditions due to their stability and growth potential.
- Telecom Appeal: Verizon Communications (VZ) has achieved only 2% year-over-year growth in a highly competitive U.S. mobile market, yet its forward-looking dividend yield of 6.1% attracts income-seeking investors, highlighting the stock's stability and appeal amid market volatility.
- Pharmaceutical Strategy: Merck (MRK) is strategically preparing for the 2028 patent expiration of its Keytruda drug by acquiring companies like Prometheus Biosciences and Verona Pharma, expecting to generate $70 billion in new revenue by the mid-2030s, showcasing its market expansion capabilities.
- Beverage Stability: Coca-Cola (KO) offers a forward-looking dividend yield of 2.7% and boasts a 63-year history of dividend increases, demonstrating strong brand loyalty and marketing prowess, ensuring a reliable source of passive income for investors.
- Market Trend Shift: Amid the decline of tech stocks, investors are increasingly turning to blue-chip stocks, particularly high-dividend stocks within the Dow Jones Industrial Average, reflecting a preference for stable income and a reassessment of risk in the current market environment.
- Telecom Appeal: Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) operates in a highly competitive U.S. mobile market, with last year's revenue growth at only about 2%, yet its forward-looking dividend yield of 6.1% attracts income-seeking investors, demonstrating its defensive nature amid economic uncertainty.
- Pharmaceutical Strategy: Merck (NYSE: MRK) is making significant strides with strategic acquisitions like the $10.8 billion purchase of Prometheus Biosciences in 2023 and a $10 billion deal for Verona Pharma, expecting to drive $70 billion in new revenue by the mid-2030s, showcasing its long-term growth potential in cancer treatment.
- Beverage Stability: Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) offers a forward-looking dividend yield of 2.7% and boasts 63 years of annual dividend increases, making it an ideal choice for investors seeking passive income, reflecting its strong brand loyalty and marketing prowess.
- Investor Focus: While Verizon did not make the Motley Fool's list of top stocks, its stable dividend and market position still make it a focal point for conservative investors, highlighting a preference for blue-chip stocks amid market volatility.
- Telecom Market Saturation: The U.S. mobile phone market is highly saturated, with Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) reporting only 2% year-over-year revenue growth last quarter, indicating limited net growth potential, although its forward-looking dividend yield of 6.1% remains attractive.
- Pharmaceutical Positioning: Pharmaceutical giant Merck (NYSE: MRK) is preparing for the 2028 patent expiration of Keytruda, having made significant acquisitions like the $10.8 billion purchase of Prometheus Biosciences in 2023, expecting these moves to drive $70 billion in new revenue by the mid-2030s.
- Coca-Cola's Steady Income: Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) offers a forward-looking dividend yield of 2.7%, backed by 63 years of annual dividend increases, showcasing its strong brand loyalty and marketing prowess, solidifying its status as a top dividend payer.
- Investor Considerations: While Verizon is seen as a stable dividend stock, the Motley Fool analyst team has identified 10 stocks that are currently viewed as more valuable investments, potentially yielding significant returns in the coming years, prompting investors to choose wisely.
- Investor Focus: Benzinga's Stock Whisper Index utilizes proprietary data and pattern recognition each week to highlight five undervalued stocks that deserve attention, assisting investors in finding new opportunities amidst information overload.
- Market Dynamics: While retail traders face challenges with numerous methods available, the index aims to reveal overlooked stocks by filtering information, thereby enhancing investors' decision-making capabilities.
- Data Source: Benzinga Pro provides the latest market dynamics and headlines, ensuring investors can access key information that impacts the market, thereby improving the effectiveness of their investment strategies.
- Ongoing Attention: Benzinga encourages investors to stay tuned for next week's report and to follow Benzinga Pro for the latest market-moving stories, ensuring they do not miss potential investment opportunities.
- Musk Ordered to Testify: A federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk must testify regarding his role in dismantling USAID, rejecting his legal team's attempt to avoid questioning, which could impact Musk's reputation and future business endeavors.
- Alphabet Beats Earnings Estimates: Alphabet reported fourth-quarter revenue of $113.83 billion, surpassing the Street consensus estimate of $111.31 billion, with earnings per share of $2.82 exceeding expectations of $2.63, indicating strong performance in advertising and cloud services that may drive stock price increases.
- Amazon Delivery Milestone: Amazon announced it delivered over 13 billion items globally in 2025, with more than 8 billion items reaching U.S. Prime members the same or next day, a speed enhancement that will further strengthen its competitive position in the e-commerce market.
- Tesla's New Model Launch: Tesla unveiled a new All-Wheel Drive variant of the Model Y in the U.S. and Puerto Rico following Elon Musk's announcement of discontinuing the Model S and X, which could attract more consumers and enhance market share.











