Katsushi Saito Nomura
second team Hidehiko Hoshino UBS
third team Hirosuke Tai Daiwa
After spending last year in second place, Katsushi Saito of Nomura reclaims the No. 1 spot, his eighth appearance in the winner’s circle in the past ten years. Saito, 44, upgraded factory-robot maker Fanuc from neutral to buy in February 2009, at ¥5,980, partly because of the company’s recent expansion into China. Demand took off, and through February 2010 Fanuc’s shares leapt 45.2 percent, to ¥8,680, and led the sector by 10.2 points. “His work with his counterparts across Asia is his strongest point,” observes one follower.
Hidehiko Hoshino slips to second place. In August the UBS analyst upgraded Ebara Corp. — first to short-term buy, at ¥349, when management revised its earnings expectations upward, then to long-term buy, at ¥364, after a company visit confirmed the optimistic projections. The stock shot up to ¥424 through February. “He publishes data points that no one else can match,” marvels one loyalist.
In third place for a third consecutive year is Daiwa’s Hirosuke Tai, who also finishes in second place in Plant Engineering & Shipbuilding. In February 2009, Tai upgraded Daikin Industries from neutral to outperform, at ¥2,105, on its stronger-than-expected sales. Through February 2010 the air-conditioning-equipment manufacturer’s shares vaulted 62.5 percent, to ¥3,420, and breezed past the sector by 21 points.
