We’re only a few trading days into May — and, thankfully, it’s been a lot less volatile than April. The S & P 500 ‘s sharp tariff-driven selloff began on April 3, the day after President Donald Trump made his evening “liberation day” announcement. Despite a 9.5% jump, about a week later, when Trump paused “reciprocal tariffs,” the index still struggled into mid-April. The S & P 500 then went on a nine-session win streak as of Friday’s close, a run not seen in two decades. The optimism was built on headlines providing hope that trade deals would soon be coming. The S & P 500 win streak ended Monday — but as of the close, most of the index’s tariff-related losses have been wiped out. Here’s a look at which Club stocks performed the best since April 2’s close through Friday’s close and which ones were the worst. Best performers CrowdStrike up 19.4% CrowdStrike has also been our best stock so far this year. With hacking threats becoming more prevalent, companies are prioritizing cybersecurity spending. Therefore, CrowdStrike has proven to be resilient against the uncertain macroeconomic backdrop. Analysts at Roth recently initiated coverage on CrowdStrike with a buy rating, citing it as one of the “best-positioned companies in security” with a “long runway for growth.” The Club’s other cybersecurity stock, Palo Alto Networks , rose 8.6% over the same stretch. Both Palo Alto and CrowdStrike are expected to report earnings later this month. Broadcom up 16.6% The initial market sell-off following Trump’s tariff announcement sent Broadcom shares tumbling 10.5% by the close on April 3. The sharp drop turned out to be a prime buying opportunity. That company thought so, too — and four days later, announced a $10 billion buyback in a clear vote of confidence from CEO Hock Tan. Broadcom also has a sizable software division that makes it a bit more resilient in tough times. Broadcom reports earnings June 5. Our other chip name, Nvidia , has not fared as well over this time frame, up only 3.1%, partially due to being in the line of fire in U.S.-China trade tensions. Nvidia reports earnings May 28. Worst performers Starbucks down 17.9% Coffee giant Starbucks fell after a disappointing quarter . Wall Street had been hoping for a quicker turnaround under CEO Brian Niccol. But even before the company’s report, there were already worries about Starbucks in China. Starbucks’ big bet in China has been on a slippery slope as it deals with local competition. However, we’re willing to give Niccol’s turnaround more time, and we’re encouraged so far that the company’s business in China held up pretty well in the quarter. Bristol-Myers Squibb down 16% Bristol-Myers is felling pressure after its schizophrenia drug, Cobenfy, failed expectations during a trial examining its efficacy as an add-on therapy for the disorder. Though the company on April 24 did beat on quarterly earnings and revenue. But, its rosy but mitigated outlook did not resolve key questions for investors. In spite of roadblocks, analysts at Piper Sandler stood by the company. The analysts reiterated their overweight buy rating and raised their price target by $1 to $66 per share. (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is long AVGO, BMY, CRWD, SBUX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, U.S., April 30, 2025.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
We’re only a few trading days into May — and, thankfully, it’s been a lot less volatile than April.