< The 2014 All-Japan Research Team

Jiro Iokibe & team
Daiwa Securities Group
First-place appearances: 1

Total appearances: 5

Team debut: 2010

Jiro Iokibe of Daiwa Securities Group, who slips back to second place after a year on top, is known for his “frequent field trips to gather research and meet clients,” in the words of one portfolio manager. Iokibe employs a mix of bottom-up earnings projections and top-down strategic analysis to produce “nimble market views faster than the competition,” another admirer reports. Of the seven Japanese trading companies the analyst covers, Tokyo-based general trader Mitsui & Co. is a current favorite. He upgraded the stock from neutral to buy in early February, at ¥1,409, when management announced its intention to buy back 40 million shares. Some five weeks later the diversified energy and industrial concern’s stock had stepped up to ¥1,450. Iokibe continues to recommend it, anticipating that Mitsui will enjoy increased return on equity and continued multiples expansion.