< The 2014 All-Japan Research Team

Takashi Hashimoto
Barclays
First-place appearances: 1

Total appearances: 11

Analyst debut: 1997

A runner-up last year, Barclays analyst Takashi Hashimoto rises to recapture the No. 3 position he most recently held in 2004, when he covered Japan’s housing and real estate names for Nikko Citigroup. Hashimoto is one of only five currently ranked analysts to have made his first appearance on the All-Japan Research Team in the 1990s, and “his extensive experience and knowledge surpass all other analysts’ in the sector,” marvels one fund manager. Among the 14 stocks the researcher covers, Sumitomo Realty & Development Co. is a favorite. He upgraded the Tokyo-based residential and commercial leasing company from equal weight to overweight in June, citing an escalation in office rents as a key catalyst for earnings expansion. Through mid-March, Sumitomo’s shares jumped 20.8 percent, to ¥4,120, leading the sector by 8.7 percentage points. Another Hashimoto top pick is Daito Trust Construction Co., a Tokyo-headquartered developer, on the expansion of its sales force and declining order cancellations. “He has a good grasp of what drives the market and what investors are looking for,” asserts another constituent.

See also Takashi Hashimoto in the All-Japan Research Team Analysts with the Most Appearances.