Jim Cramer had strong opinions about where investors should put their money during Thursday's Mad Money Lightning Round, and enterprise software wasn't making the cut.

Banking on International Exposure

When asked about Banco Santander, S.A. (SAN), Cramer didn't hesitate: "terrific," he said. The Spanish banking giant recently made headlines on Jan. 9 when it sold a 49% stake in its Polish subsidiary to Erste Group, a move that seems to have caught Cramer's attention positively.

Banco Santander shares dipped 0.9% to settle at $12.11 on Thursday.

The Enterprise Software Warning

Cramer's enthusiasm didn't extend to the software sector. When a caller asked about Datadog, Inc. (DDOG), he recommended staying away from "these enterprise software companies." The timing makes sense given recent analyst moves. On Monday, Barclays analyst Raimo Lenschow lowered the price target on Datadog from $215 to $195, while Keybanc analyst Eric Heath cut his target even more dramatically from $230 to $170.

Datadog shares fell 1.3% to close at $120.86 during Thursday's session.

The same skepticism applied to Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK). "Enterprise software. No one wants to touch these companies," Cramer said. This despite BTIG analyst Nick Altmann initiating coverage on Dec. 17 with a Buy rating and a $365 price target. Autodesk shares managed to gain 0.4% to close at $262.26 on Thursday.

Winners Worth Holding

For Origin Bancorp, Inc. (OBK), Cramer had nothing but praise. "You are in a winner," he told a caller. "I think that you should stay in it, and if it pulls back, I would buy more." Origin Bancorp is scheduled to report fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results after the market closes on Wednesday, Jan. 28, which could be a catalyst for the stock.

Origin Bancorp shares gained 1.2% to close at $40.48 on Thursday.

Restaurant and Metals Plays

Cramer called Cava (CAVA) a buy. The Mediterranean fast-casual chain recently announced that Doug Thompson would join as COO, effective March 2. Cava shares gained 2% to close at $72.00.

When asked about Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD), Cramer suggested taking some profits. "Why don't you take a little off the table tomorrow? You'll never regret it, I promise," he advised. The precious metals streaming company increased its annual dividend from $1.80 per share to $1.90 per share on Nov. 18. Royal Gold shares gained 2% to settle at $259.15 on Thursday.