Watch individual stocks amid the earnings deluge

Even with a government shutdown looming, CNBC’s Jim Cramer expected good things for the next leg of earnings season.

“Earnings season is upon us and it is always a guessing game, but this time around the rules have changed,” the “Mad Money” host said. “Rather than worrying about whether companies will beat or miss their forecasts, now we’re guessing how much money those companies will return to you, the shareholders, in the form of dividends and buybacks.”

Calling the shutdown news less than meaningful for the market, Cramer said it was unlikely to crush equities. Instead, it will probably push stocks down to buyable levels, he said.

“If a shutdown does cause delays in when the IRS sends its tax rebates, we might get a temporary decline in consumer spending,” Cramer said. “Again, though, another buying opportunity: Home Depot, Amazon, Kohl’s, Walmart. Why? The problem is temporary.”

With that in mind, Cramer turned to the stocks and events he’ll be watching with or without a shutdown: