Jim Cramer picked Coca-Cola (KO) over Celsius Holdings (CELH) on live television.
During the August 20, 2026 Lightning Round on CNBC’s Mad Money, a caller asked him about Celsius.
He answered without hesitation, saying he’d rather own Coca-Cola and calling it the clear winner.
The comment comes as Celsius stock is rallying.
Shares are up about 16% over the past month, driven by an activist investor pushing to replace the company’s leadership.
For anyone holding Celsius or deciding whether to buy in, the gap between that rally and Cramer’s pick is worth understanding before the next move.
What Jim Cramer said about Celsius stock on Mad Money
Cramer did not soften the message.
When the Celsius question came up, he told viewers, “We don’t want Celsius here, we have Coca-Cola. KO is the winner,” CNBC reported.
That line is important because of who said it.
More Beverage Stocks:
- Coca-Cola keeps beating its rivals, and Wall Street noticed
- Coca-Cola absorbs margin hit for expansion in key market
- Convenience store giant takes on Coca-Cola and Pepsi
In November 2023 he called Celsius a Buy on the same show.
In May 2024 he picked it over Monster Beverage, telling viewers to own the company taking market share.
His choice now points the other way, toward a slower, steadier, dividend-paying company.
Why the weak Celsius earnings report changed the picture
The turn follows a rough second-quarter report.
Celsius posted second-quarter revenue of $817.9 million on August 6.
That was up 10.6% from a year earlier, but it fell short of the roughly $886 million analysts expected, according to Investing.com.
Adjusted earnings came in at $0.36 a share, below the $0.43 that Wall Street expected.
The bigger worry sat inside the flagship brand. Sales of the core Celsius line fell about 11.7% from a year earlier, Celsius reported.
Profit margins slipped too. Gross margin fell to 48.1% from 51.5% a year earlier, driven by heavier promotions and a shift in where sales came from.
Bloomberg / Getty Images
How Coca-Cola became the safer beverage pick for Cramer
Cramer’s preference for Coca-Cola follows a strong quarter from the larger company.
Coca-Cola posted adjusted earnings of 97 cents a share on July 28, ahead of the 93 cents expected, with revenue up 7% to $13.38 billion, CNBC reported.
Coca-Cola also pays a dividend and has raised it for more than six decades.
That combination of steady sales and reliable income is the kind of profile investors tend to favor when they feel cautious about the wider market.
Cramer has said that current stock prices and business fundamentals have drifted apart in this market.
Choosing Coca-Cola over Celsius fits that view. He is picking a large, profitable business over a smaller, faster-moving one that is still fixing its core brand.
What Cramer’s reversal signals for Celsius shareholders
Cramer’s Lightning Round often moves retail trading in the hours that follow. Losing his support removes one familiar source of on-air encouragement for Celsius stock.
Here is what current and potential CELH shareholders should consider:
Key points for Celsius investors include:
- The growth premium is fading. Celsius is being judged more like a traditional beverage company now, and less like an unstoppable disruptor. Sales of the core brand need to recover before that view changes.
- Integration work is not finished. Folding in Alani Nu and Rockstar is still adding short-term costs and promotional spending, which pressures margins.
- The stock reacts hard to headlines. With Cramer stepping back and an activist fight underway, the stock can move sharply on one headline at a time.
Not all the news is negative. Alani Nu generated $364.4 million in second-quarter sales, up 21% from a year earlier, according to Celsius.
The acquired brands are growing even as the flagship struggles.
Why the surge in Celsius stock is happening anyway
Russ Savage, the founder of Rockstar Energy, revealed a stake worth roughly $300 million and publicly called for new leadership, including the removal of the chief executive.
Investors responded quickly. The stock jumped about 12% on the day the news broke, and it has held much of that gain since.
That is why shares can climb while Cramer walks away. Traders are pricing in the possible change in management, not the current results.
Wall Street analysts are more cautious.
Several firms cut their price targets after the earnings report, with JPMorgan moving to $56 from $70 and Stifel dropping to $45.
What Celsius investors can do next
If you own Celsius or are considering it, a few checkpoints can guide your decision.
Watch the core brand first. Management needs sales of the flagship Celsius line to stabilize before the growth argument returns.
Until that happens, the stock stays tied to a turnaround that has not shown up in the numbers yet.
Track the activist fight. If large institutional shareholders back Savage, pressure on the board grows. If they back the current management, today’s plan stays in place.
Weigh your own risk tolerance. Coca-Cola offers slower growth with a dividend and a steadier history. Celsius offers a possible rebound with far more volatility.
Cramer picked the calmer option, and each investor can decide whether that fits their own goals.
This is not a recommendation to buy or sell. Cramer changed his mind after the numbers changed.
Check whether your own reasons for holding Celsius still hold up against the latest results.
Related: Pepsi and Coca-Cola bet big on soda Americans say they want
