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Masashi Morita
Okasan Securities Co.
"He has abundant knowledge of the sector and provides a unique viewpoint for investors."
Returning to the summit after tumbling to runner-up last year, Masashi Morita claims his fourth first-place finish since 2009. The Okasan Securities Co. analyst’s reports are “extremely interesting and helpful,” according to one buy-side loyalist. Morita, 42, urged clients to buy Avex Group Holdings in August, at ¥1,200, making the case that the Tokyo-based outfit’s profits would soar thanks to its movies-on-demand service for smartphone subscribers; he reiterated the call in November and again in February. That month the company reported that net sales for the nine months through December had jumped 24.7 percent, to just over ¥1 billion ($10.6 million), and operating income had soared 55.6 percent, to ¥111.4 million. By mid-March the stock had catapulted to ¥2,514, gaining an eye-popping 109.5 percent and beating the sector by 88.4 percentage points. “The two important points for investments in this sector are the emergence of new distribution channels and innovative software,” Morita says. “We believe companies that can achieve both of these goals have significant growth potential.” — Pam Baker