After Eli Lilly quarter, Cramer says don’t just focus on macro trends

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Thursday recommended that investors not base portfolio decisions solely off macroeconomic trends, like new employment data or interest rates.

“I don’t want to be bound by the four walls of the PMIs, the PPIs, the PCDEs, the GDPs. We don’t want ETFs where we buy the bad along with the good, and we certainly don’t want to worry about every tick in interest rates,” he said. “You know why? One, because that’s a sucker’s game. You’re letting the macro control your thinking. …Two, is Eli Lilly.”

The averages roared back on Thursday, continuing a clawback following the massive sell-off on Monday. Investors were encouraged by new data that showed unemployment claims fell less than expected last week, indicating that the economy may not be as weak as other metrics suggest. After Eli Lilly’s quarter blew past Wall Street’s expectations, shares climbed 9.5% by the close.

Eli Lilly reported $11.30 billion in revenue and $3.92 earnings per share, compared to the $9.92 billion and $2.60 expected by analysts surveyed by LSEG. The company saw sales of its popular weight loss and diabetes drugs spike, and it raised its full-year revenue outlook.

According to Cramer, the drugmaker’s “tour de force quarter” was not due to mortgage rates or other macro factors. He said the quarter shows that Eli Lilly is ahead of its competitors when it comes to drug formulations and the ability to scale manufacturing.

Cramer reiterated his long-held belief that it’s prudent to invest in good companies and hold on to their shares as long as business seems solid.

“If you pay attention to the real world, you may find yourself taking a GLP-1 and want to buy the stock of Eli Lilly,” he said. “But if you pay too much attention to the financial world, you might’ve convinced yourself that this stock wasn’t worth owning.”