CNBC's Jim Cramer urged investors to keep their cool on Friday as stocks fell following reports that President Donald Trump's former national security adviser pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
"I never dismiss the big picture," the "Mad Money" host said. "Through all of the Dow 24,000 hubbub, the sturm und drang surrounding the Senate tax reform bill and the pearl-clutching about the latest revelations from the Russia probe, let's not forget that there are real companies doing real things, and they matter."
To prove that declines like this actually provide ample investing opportunities, Cramer called attention to the stocks of VMware and Nutanix, two cloud companies that reported huge earnings beats on Thursday.
Both VMware and Nutanix help their clients harness the power of the cloud to further their businesses. This quarter, their only problem seemed to be the large volume of business they were getting, a "high-quality problem," Cramer said.
After listening to their conference calls, Cramer figured that both stocks would be up too high to even bother recommending. But after news broke about former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, VMware and Nutanix's stocks slid with the rest of the market.
In fact, Cramer was surprised at how far they slid given the strength of their businesses. That said, he couldn't deny the "gifts" their stocks provided to prospective buyers.
"I mention this because being an investor isn't just about picking stocks, it's also about timing," the "Mad Money" host said. "If you're going to be rigorous, then you wait patiently and let the stocks you like come to you. Odds are, you'll get your chance, although usually, the chances aren't this good."
At the end of the day, the tax bill turmoil, Flynn's admission of guilt and the ruckus around Dow 24,000 all came together to give investors an unusual chance to buy stocks on sale.
Certainly, there are some investors who know they won't be able to handle more negative news out of Washington or market-tanking revelations.
For those prone to concern, Cramer recommended they either invest in mutual or index funds or hand their portfolios over to managers with cooler, less emotional dispositions.
"No one has ever made a dime panicking and selling right into the teeth of an ugly-looking decline — can you imagine if you sold stock [when the Dow was] down 300 today? Can you imagine? — but many people have profited by using that decline to do some buying," Cramer explained. "Panic, my friends, is not a strategy. The next time something tangential slams down the whole market, don't freak out. Stay calm. Maybe do some buying."
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