Jim Cramer touts four memory chip stocks as AI-driven buys in 2026

Financial analyst Jim Cramer identified four major memory chip stocks as attractive investments on Monday, despite their substantial year-to-date gains, arguing that artificial intelligence demand has created a durable shortage that breaks the industry's historical boom-and-bust cycle. The host of CNBC's Mad Money highlighted SanDisk, Seagate, Micron, and Western Digital, noting that all have surged between 188% and over 600% in 2026. Cramer's core thesis centers on a fundamental shift in market dynamics driven by AI. He cited comments from tech leaders, including Elon Musk, identifying memory capacity as the primary bottleneck for data center expansion. Unlike past cycles where rising demand spurred manufacturers to rapidly expand production, leading to oversupply and price collapses, Cramer said memory makers are now building new capacity only to fulfill existing, multiyear customer contracts. "They are basically building only to suit," he stated. This disciplined approach is complemented by significant shareholder return programs. SanDisk holds $15.