< The 2014 All-Japan Research Team

Eiji Hakomori
Daiwa Securities Group
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 1

Team debut: 2014

At No. 3 is Daiwa Securities Group’s Eiji Hakomori, who earns his first appearance on this lineup thanks in part to his “detailed, well-organized seminars,” according to one client. “One of his strengths is his grasp of the U.S. economy and the U.S. car market,” the investor adds. “He has a better understanding of why U.S. consumers buy cars.” Among Hakomori’s favorites names is Isuzu Motors, a Tokyo-based maker of commercial vehicles and diesel engines. Although he expects the manufacturer’s sales to be sluggish in the short term, he dubs the domestic trucks segment a potential winner over time, with demand increasing as buyers replace aging models. Japan’s emerging economic recovery, moreover, should further boost domestic auto and truck sales over the medium term, the analyst believes. Hakomori sets his price target at ¥900 for Isuzu’s shares, which in mid-March were trading at ¥605.