David Zion Credit Suisse
Holding steady in the second slot is David Zion. In March the Credit Suisse researcher warned investors that changes in the tax treatment of Medicare prescription-drug subsidies would prompt large corporations such as AT&T to take massive, one-time charges that would affect earnings, but the damage would not last long. Two days later the Dallas-based telecommunications services provider announced that it would take a nearly $1 billion noncash charge in the first quarter, owing to changes in the tax laws affecting in Medicare Part D. AT&T’s share price dipped 6.7 percent, from $25.40 at the time of Zion’s report to $23.71 in May, before rallying to $27.03 by the end of August. “Dave is the best at explaining complex numbers to nongeeks,” praises one buy-sider.