< The 2014 All-Europe Research Team
Notching their second consecutive appearance at the top of this slate, and their third in the past four years, the Deutsche Bank duo headed by London-based Benjamin Fidler, 43, continues to impress clients with “unmatched industry knowledge and well-timed recommendations,” as one asset manager puts it. Of the 13 companies under the analysts’ coverage, only one in the defense subsector earns a buy rating: France’s Thales, a manufacturer of radar systems, optronics and other industrial electronics products. Largely owing to its ability to continue cutting costs in a zero-growth defense budget environment, Fidler says, they upgraded the company from hold last March. By the end of December, the shares had soared 77.5 percent, to €46.80, outdistancing the sector by 44 percentage points. Another top pick is long-time favorite Airbus Group, which changed its name from European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. in January. The French-Dutch maker of aircraft and communications systems is enjoying a strong production outlook for its Airbus division, the analysts advised in early December, with an industry-leading and record-setting backlog supporting an increase in delivery volumes. The stock rocketed 89.2 percent last year, to €55.81, better even than the sector’s impressive 52.7 percent advance. “Ben is the best A&D analyst in Europe,” cheers another advocate. See also Benjamin Fidler’s profiles in the 2013 All-Europe Research Team and 2012 All-Europe Research Team. |
