Ryo Tazaki
Nomura Securities Co.
Rising from runner-up, where he debuted last year, to third place is Ryo Tazaki of Nomura Securities Co. “He’s been catching up fast, outshining more-veteran competitors,” declares one portfolio manager. In February, Tazaki urged clients to buy IHI Corp., a Tokyo-based manufacturer whose business segments include aerospace, resources and energy, and shipbuilding, among others. The aerospace unit is benefiting from the weaker yen, which drives demand for exports, and “increasing engine production for civil aircraft, mainly for Airbus,” he explains. At the same time, IHI’s rotating and mass-production machinery division is enjoying growing demand for its high-quality turbocharger, a key component in automobile engines. By mid-March the stock had jumped 19.4 percent, from ¥247 to ¥295, and trumped the sector by 17 percentage points. Tazaki remains bullish. — Paul Sweeney