Colin McGranahan
Colin McGranahan Sanford C. Bernstein
SECOND TEAM
Gary Balter Credit Suisse
THIRD TEAM
Matthew Fassler Goldman Sachs
Repeating in first place is Colin McGranahan of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., dubbed by one portfolio manager as “the go-to man if you want to know the numerical impact of an issue.” Clients also praise the long-term outlook that McGranahan, 38, has kept despite the ever-shortening focus of many of his peers. In May, McGranahan initiated coverage of AutoZone with an outperform rating, expecting that the auto-parts industry would prove more resilient in an economic slowdown than would other sectors. Shares of the Memphis-based retailer had zipped from $124.61 to $138.50 by mid-September, a gain of 11.1 percent that outpaced the broad market’s 11.7 percent decline. Gary Balter holds steady in second place and earns accolades for his “candid and often colloquial approach to talking about the companies under his coverage,” in the words of one money manager. In January the Credit Suisse analyst upgraded home improvement chains Bed, Bath & Beyond of Union, New Jersey, Home Depot of Atlanta and Lowe’s Cos. of Mooresville, North Carolina, on the belief that the companies’ substantial market-share gains would propel them through a difficult economic environment. In mid-September the stocks were up 20.3, 16.4 and 23.5 percent, respectively. Matthew Fassler of Goldman, Sachs & Co., who finishes in third place for a second straight year, “does a very good job of analyzing the factors that drive consumer spending,” according to one investor. Fassler used this big-picture perspective in May, when he recommended RadioShack Corp., at $15.66, based on its improving management team. Shares of the Fort Worth, Texas–based electronics chain had climbed 20.5 percent, to $18.87, by mid-September.
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