Kunihiro Matsumoto UBS
second team Arifumi Yoshida Citi
third team Eiji Hakomori Daiwa
Clients say “long experience and hard work,” “detailed knowledge” and “precise analyses” help Kunihiro Matsumoto, 44, hold the top spot for a third straight year. The UBS analyst upgraded Aisin Seiki Co. from neutral to buy last April, at ¥1,902, on valuation. The share price soared 46.4 percent, to ¥2,785, by mid-January before tumbling as a result of Toyota’s massive recalls; the stock closed February at ¥2,332, up 22.6 percent since Matsumoto’s upgrade. During the same period the sector advanced only 5.8 percent.
Citi’s Arifumi Yoshida, who climbs one notch to second place, “pays close attention to every industry event and provides consistently valuable, bottom-up, fundamental research,” asserts one supporter. Yoshida upgraded Keihin Corp. from hold to buy in May, at ¥1,054, on its strength as a supplier to the burgeoning hybrid-engine market. Through February shares of the Honda affiliate jumped 47.3 percent, to ¥1,553, and trounced the sector by 43.2 points.
Down one rung to third place is Daiwa Securities Group’s Eiji Hakomori, who switched to autos coverage at the beginning of this year. Last April he upgraded Koito Manufacturing Co. from neutral to buy, at ¥800, on improving earnings. The stock had bolted to ¥1,119 by late February, a gain of 39.9 percent that bested the sector by 24.5 points. “He’s especially skilled at evaluating cash flow,” observes one money manager.
