Man Chuen (Benjamin) Lo & team
Nomura
Nomura returns to the ranking for the first time since 2010, in second place. The team is once again under the leadership of Man Chuen (Benjamin) Lo, who captained J.P. Morgan’s crew for two years before rejoining Nomura last summer. From its Hong Kong base, the five-strong squad covers 18 companies, five more than last year. The analysts initiated research on Jardine Matheson Holdings with a buy rating in July, at $51.01. The Bermuda-headquartered conglomerate, which is involved in construction and engineering, financial services, infrastructure development, property management and other operations, is “an ideal candidate for long-term investment, considering its high-quality assets in Asia, with a strong management track record,” Lo explains. By the end of April, the stock had bolted 27.3 percent, to $64.93; the team has a target price of $74.20. Nomura’s researchers “know these conglomerates inside out,” marvels one backer. “Their timing is almost impeccable.” — Paul Sweeney