We recently published our article Top 10 Stocks Jim Cramer Is Watching Right Now, where we examined the broader themes shaping his latest market commentary amid heightened market volatility and shifting investor sentiment. In this article, we take a closer look at Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM) and why it has earned a spot among the companies currently drawing Cramer’s attention in today’s rapidly evolving market environment.

For anyone who has covered markets long enough to remember the dot-com implosion, the global financial crisis, and the cloud computing boom, one thing becomes unmistakably clear: Wall Street has a talent for overreaction. Earlier this week, that reflex was on full display after a research note ominously titled the “2028 Global Intelligence Crisis” painted a dystopian future in which artificial intelligence wipes out vast swaths of white-collar employment. The result was immediate. Software stocks sold off sharply, enterprise technology names buckled under pressure, and the AI stock narrative briefly shifted from unstoppable growth to existential threat.

Yet within days, the market began stabilizing, almost as if investors collectively remembered that technological revolutions rarely unfold in straight lines. Jim Cramer, the longtime host of Mad Money and a fixture in the financial media landscape for decades, weighed in with a perspective shaped by experience rather than panic. While acknowledging that certain enterprise software companies face real competitive pressure from generative AI, machine learning, and automation platforms, Cramer made a critical distinction: disruption does not automatically mean extinction. Some software companies may earn less. Some may compress on valuation. But wholesale eradication? That, in his view, remains far-fetched.

AI Is Not the Villain — It’s the Engine

The narrative that artificial intelligence will dismantle entire industries overnight has become a recurring theme in financial commentary. However, seasoned market observers understand that AI adoption, like every transformative technology before it, tends to redistribute value rather than destroy it entirely. NVIDIA’s recent “picture-perfect quarter,” as Cramer described it, reinforces the argument that AI is not a speculative bubble evaporating in real time but a revenue-generating force reshaping capital expenditure priorities across the globe. Enterprise AI spending continues to expand, cloud infrastructure budgets are adjusting to accommodate AI workloads, and data center investment remains robust.

The broader artificial intelligence market is projected to grow into the hundreds of billions of dollars in annual spending within this decade. AI software stocks, semiconductor companies, robotics automation providers, and enterprise cloud platforms are all competing for slices of that expanding opportunity set. The fear that firms like Anthropic or other large AI developers will eliminate traditional software players entirely overlooks a key reality: most enterprise software companies are actively integrating generative AI tools, AI-powered analytics, and automation capabilities into their existing platforms. In other words, adaptation is already underway.

This dynamic helps explain why price-to-earnings multiples across enterprise software have compressed. Investors are recalibrating growth assumptions, factoring in margin pressure and competitive risk. But multiple compression does not automatically equate to long-term structural decline. Often, it creates selective opportunity for investors who can differentiate between vulnerable business models and adaptable ones.

The Long View From 49,000 Dow Points

Cramer’s remark about having been on the right side of 49,000 Dow points since he first walked onto Wall Street was more than bravado. It underscored a philosophy rooted in decades of observing boom-and-bust cycles. Markets stumble, narratives shift, and research notes ignite temporary chaos. But earnings, cash flow, and innovation ultimately determine direction. The artificial intelligence revolution is not a theoretical exercise confined to academic labs. It is embedded in enterprise software platforms, customer relationship management systems, cybersecurity frameworks, supply chain optimization tools, and even industrial robotics.

Enterprise software stocks are indeed navigating a transition. AI integration demands investment. Business models must evolve. Some companies will thrive, others will lag, and valuation dispersion will likely widen. However, the suggestion that artificial intelligence will leave a wasteland of “white-collar unemployables” and hollow out the sector ignores how technology historically enhances productivity and creates new categories of demand.

For investors tracking AI growth stocks, enterprise software companies, semiconductor leaders, and automation platforms, the current volatility reflects recalibration rather than collapse. Speed bumps, as Cramer noted, are part of the journey. Markets can be fooled periodically, but structural technological adoption tends to reward disciplined capital over time.

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Our Methodology

In this context, examining the specific stocks Cramer discussed becomes less about sensationalism and more about analysis. Our approach to compiling the top 10 stocks Jim Cramer is watching right now was straightforward. We reviewed the February 25 episode of Mad Money, identified the companies mentioned in sequence, and evaluated them within the broader AI and enterprise software landscape. The objective was not merely to track commentary but to contextualize it within current market conditions, including AI-driven revenue growth, valuation compression, earnings resilience, and strategic positioning.

As artificial intelligence continues reshaping enterprise operations, the real question is not whether AI will disrupt software companies, but which firms are positioned to integrate, monetize, and scale within the new paradigm. Investors searching for AI stocks to buy, undervalued software stocks, or companies adapting successfully to machine learning and generative AI trends must look beyond headlines. The panic of one week can become the opportunity of the next.

In markets, as history repeatedly demonstrates, fear often travels faster than fundamentals. But fundamentals, in the long run, tend to win.

Top 10 Stocks Jim Cramer Is Watching Right Now

7. Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM)

Yum! Brands, Inc. continues to attract bullish attention as a high-quality restaurant stock, recently trading near $168.51 and building momentum in the consumer discretionary sector. The company, which franchises global quick-service brands including KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, is entering what many investors view as a strategic inflection point following its plan to spin off its pizza business. That restructuring move has drawn public support from Jim Cramer, who recently described Yum! Brands as “a horse lately,” noting its roughly 9% rise and advising investors to hold the stock and buy on any pullback. Cramer emphasized that shedding Pizza Hut could unlock stronger reported numbers, particularly as Taco Bell’s performance becomes more visible.

The spin-off is widely interpreted as a value-unlocking catalyst. By narrowing focus and allowing Taco Bell’s growth profile to stand out, Yum! Brands may drive improved earnings clarity, margin expansion, and higher valuation multiples. Taco Bell has been one of the strongest performers in the fast food industry, benefiting from menu innovation, digital ordering growth, pricing power, and robust same-store sales. As the company streamlines its portfolio, investors gain a clearer view of its highest-return assets, reinforcing the long-term bull case for YUM stock.

Yum! Brands’ asset-light, franchise-driven model supports steady free cash flow, global unit expansion, and consistent dividend growth, positioning it as both a defensive and growth-oriented investment. In an environment where investors favor focused business models and scalable international brands, Yum! Brands combines restructuring upside with durable consumer demand. With endorsement from influential market voices and a strategic plan that highlights Taco Bell’s strength, YUM stock remains a compelling play on global quick-service restaurant growth and shareholder value creation.

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Disclosure: No material interests to disclose. This article was originally published on Global Market Bulletin.