Capital One has more room to run after its acquisition, Jim Cramer says

CNBC’s Jim Cramer explained why he’s bullish on Capital One Financial after its acquisition of Discover Financial Services, saying the deal gives the company more reach and earnings power.

“Capital One’s stock has already had a major run this year, but that’s because the Discover acquisition is incredibly positive,” he said. “I’m betting the stock has a lot more room to run.”

Capital One announced it had completed the purchase in May, buying Discover in a $35.3 billion all-stock deal. The bank first revealed definitive plans to acquire Discover in February of last year. Shares of Capital One have climbed more than 11% since the deal closed, according to FactSet, and the stock is currently up 23.26% year-to-date.

While Capital One has always been a major credit card issuer, the merger gives it ownership of one of the top payment networks, Cramer said, which is a big opportunity for the company. The acquisition allows Capital One to scale up and become “a truly global payments platform,” he continued. Cramer said the acquisition also reduces the company’s reliance on MasterCard and Visa, as it has its own payment network that can collect transaction fees directly.

Cramer was pleased that Capital One expects the deal to boost earnings per share 15% by 2027 and realize $1.5 billion in cost synergies. The acquisition also unlocks new international opportunities for Capital One, Cramer continued, and provides the scale to invest more heavily in premium perks for cardholders.

According to Cramer, there’s still a chance to get in on the stock despite its recent gains. He said the company has “a tremendous growth story” and it’s “not done anywhere near here.”

“Even though the stock’s within … spitting distance of its all-time high,” Cramer said. “I think it’s still way too cheap here at a mere 11 times next year’s earnings, and I think it is poised to have multiple years of outstanding growth.”

Capital One declined to comment.

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Disclaimer The CNBC Investing Club Charitable Trust owns shares of Capital One.