Throughout recent years, both Jim Cramer and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi have been well-known figures whose stock picks attract considerable attention from investors seeking to capitalize on their investment actions or suggestions. Pelosi's stock transactions, reported annually as disclosures of trades made by her spouse Paul Pelosi, have historically delivered strong returns, often outperforming the market average.
However, in 2025, the situation diverged from expectations. A financial service designed to allow investors to align their portfolios with either Pelosi's picks or those associated with Jim Cramer has released performance figures indicating that a strategy opposite to Cramer’s public stock recommendations—known as the "Inverse Cramer" approach—has outperformed Pelosi's disclosed trades this year.
This notable outcome means those who invested against the stocks Cramer promoted saw better returns than investors simply following Pelosi's stock disclosures, which until now had been considered a reliable strategy. A Twitter account dedicated to tracking Pelosi's picks highlighted this development: "The Queen has been dethroned. Inverse Cramer officially beats out Pelosi for the top portfolio on Autopilot." The platform Autopilot estimates a 25% gain for Pelosi’s investment picks in 2025 compared to a 60% increase for the Inverse Cramer portfolio.
Further data from UnusualWhales, a tracker of political stock transactions, reported Pelosi’s 2025 portfolio return nearer to 20.1%, placing her 28th among Congressional members who traded stocks in the same year. Commentary from UnusualWhales remarked on the remarkable nature of the Inverse Cramer portfolio outperforming Pelosi’s picks, emphasizing the unexpected aspect of these results.
Jim Cramer, a former hedge fund manager, is a daily presence on television, notably with CNBC’s "Mad Money" show airing after market hours. He also shares numerous stock opinions via social media throughout the day. The volume of his public recommendations makes it challenging for individual investors to track every suggestion, thereby increasing the appeal of automated services like Autopilot that simplify following or countering his calls.
Historically, an investment product structure had been created to systematically follow both Cramer's stock picks and their inverses. These were exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched in October 2022 by Tuttle Capital. The long Cramer ETF closed operations in September 2023, and the Inverse Cramer ETF was shuttered in February 2024.
Tuttle Capital's chief executive, Matthew Tuttle, previously explained to financial news outlets that the funds were introduced partly to highlight the potential pitfalls of following TV stock pickers, specifically Jim Cramer, who he felt lacked accountability. Although the mission appeared fulfilled, retail investor interest in the ETFs did not fully develop, with a preference shown for more volatile investments. Tuttle also noted that timing played a critical role in fund performance, suggesting that the period when Cramer's "Magnificent 7" stock picks performed well coincided with the fund’s availability but did not entirely favor the ETFs’ timing.
Cramer’s fluctuating stock recommendations have not escaped criticism. For example, comedian and TV host John Oliver pointed out Cramer's inconsistency, including his change of stance on former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, rendering Cramer's advice occasionally unreliable.
Regarding Pelosi’s stock activity in 2025, the number of publicly disclosed trades was fewer than in previous years. Among notable events were the donation of Apple shares to an educational institution and the exercising of stock options in Broadcom Inc. during June. Additionally, earlier in the year, Pelosi disclosed acquisition of stock options in companies including Vistra Corp, Tempus AI, Alphabet Inc., and Amazon.com Inc.
As a political figure, Pelosi plans to leave Congress in January 2027, not seeking re-election in 2026. This impending departure suggests that public insight into her investment activity, via official disclosures, will cease after about one year from now.
Stocks such as Broadcom Inc, which trades near recent highs around $332.68 per share, and major tech companies like Amazon, Alphabet, and NVIDIA remain closely watched by investors. Reports identifying market-leading stocks based on value, momentum, and quality also continue to shape investment decisions heading into 2026.
Key Points
- Investing against Jim Cramer’s stock recommendations in 2025 generated significantly higher returns than following Nancy Pelosi’s disclosed trades.
- Pleosi’s stock picks delivered an estimated 20-25% gain in 2025, while the inverse Cramer strategy achieved about a 60% return.
- Jim Cramer's extensive daily stock commentary is difficult to follow personally, enhancing the appeal of automated tracking platforms.
- Former ETFs tracking Cramer and inverse Cramer picks have been shut down, citing variable investor interest and timing challenges.
Risks and Uncertainties
- Stock recommendations by media personalities can fluctuate rapidly and may lack accountability, potentially leading to volatile investment outcomes.
- Pelosi's reduced stock activity in 2025 compared to prior years may affect the reliability of trend assessments based on her disclosures.
- Future access to Pelosi's stock transaction disclosures will end following her congressional retirement, limiting transparency for investors relying on this data.
- Market dynamics, such as timing of ETF launches and major stock sector movements, influence the effectiveness and investor interest in thematic funds tied to public figures' picks.