Guy Moszkowski BofA Merrill Lynch
second team Charles (Brad) Hintz Sanford C. Bernstein
third team Kenneth Worthington J.P. Morgan
Guy Moszkowski leapfrogs two levels to the top of the sector, which was expanded this year to include Exchanges. The BofA Merrill analyst upgraded Morgan Stanley from neutral to buy in October 2008, at $9.38, on valuation. Shares of the New York–based firm skyrocketed 208.7 percent, to $28.96, and trumped the sector by 173.2 percentage points, through August. Moszkowski, 51, upgraded Lazard to buy in July, at $30.46, on the Bermuda-based asset manager’s soaring revenues from M&As. By late August the stock had surged 27.6 percent, to $38.87. “His fundamental views outpace everyone else’s,” declares one portfolio manager.
Charles (Brad) Hintz of Sanford C. Bernstein slips one rung to No. 2. In June he upgraded Goldman Sachs Group to outperform, at $142.15, predicting an increase in the New York–based firm’s fixed-income revenue owing to the recovery of credit markets. He was right. Through August, the stock climbed 16.4 percent, to $165.46, and outpaced the sector by 10.6 percentage points. “Nobody’s better at explaining market intricacies,” insists one buy-side backer.
Newcomer Kenneth Worthington takes third. The J.P. Morgan researcher earns points for upgrading Franklin Resources of San Mateo, California, to overweight in July as a bargain at $69.74. By August 31 the share price had shot up 33.8 percent, to $93.33. “I always read what he has to say and respect his logic,” says one appreciative client.
Click here to see the All-America Research Team rankings.
