Jim Cramer says consumers are loyal to value and not brands

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Wednesday said consumers right now aren’t focused on brand names, but on companies that can provide the most value.

“Prices have gotten so high over the past few years that we’re losing our loyalty to brands,” he said. “These days, this whole country is about one thing: The Benjamins.”

Cramer used this dynamic to explain recent quarterly results from Target, which reported its largest revenue miss in two years, sending shares down more than 21% to hit a new 52-week low. The big box retailer cut its full-year guidance, and management said it saw weakness in discretionary products despite price cuts. Target’s poor quarter comes just one day after peer retailer Walmart topped estimates, reporting success in its e-commerce business and products outside the grocery aisle. Although the two retailers offer similar products, Cramer said Walmart is simply more affordable.

He also named other discount outfits that are seeing success despite a tough consumer landscape, including Costco, TJX, Chili’s-parent Brinker and Texas Roadhouse.

On Wall Street, this focus on value extends beyond consumer companies and to sectors like tech, Cramer added. For example, even though Nvidia‘s stock has run up, he said the enterprise continues to see the value of the company’s technology. Despite the high price, enterprise customers believe Nvidia’s products can make them much more money than they spend on them, he continued. Nvidia reported a substantial earnings and revenue beat after the close, and it gave a solid forecast for the current quarter.

“The cloud service providers — Amazon, Google, Oracle, Microsoft — simply can’t resist buying these high-end chips,” he said. “Not because they feel compelled to keep up with the competition, but because forty Gs for one of these is a bargain.”

Target did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust holds shares of Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Costco and TJX.