Omar Saad Credit Suisse
After two years in third place, Omar Saad rises one rung to second. In January the Credit Suisse analyst reiterated his buy rating on Under Armour (first recommended all the way back in December 2005), at $25.40, citing the Baltimore-based sports-apparel company’s loyal customer base and strong long-term growth prospects, among other factors. The stock bolted 41.2 percent, to $35.87, through August. “A lot of analysts just focus on short-term sales and earnings, but Omar tries to gauge the strength of a brand across borders,” cheers one enthusiastic booster.