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Omar Saad
ISI Group
First-place appearances: 2

Total appearances: 5

Analyst debut: 2008

Omar Saad of ISI Group holds on to the top spot. One backer credits him with taking a worldwide market perspective and “a long view on opportunity and investment.” Saad, 40, forecasts positive prospects for sports apparel names well into the future. “The athletic sector is an attractive global oligopoly with structurally strong growth, as consumers all over the world place an increasing emphasis on fitness and health combined with a love of sports as either fan or participant,” he explains. In particular, he favors Beaverton, Oregon–based apparel and footwear giant Nike. Saad, who also merits a runner-up spot in Retailing/Specialty Stores, has been strongly advising clients to buy the stock since launching coverage in June 2011. He restated his call in December, at a split-adjusted $48.98, arguing that concerns about slowing growth in China were overblown because the country accounts for only 10 percent of Nike’s revenue, and strong growth in North America “would be more sustainable than the market believed,” he says. Since the reiteration Nike ran up 28.3 percent, to $62.82, through August. — Katie Gilbert