< The 2015 All-America Research Team

Total appearances: 1

Analyst debut: 2015

Debuting in the No. 3 position in this new sector, which is carved out of the previously broad Biotechnology category, is Cory Kasimov, who reported on U.S. biotechnology shares for Ryan Beck & Co. and Oppenheimer & Co., among other firms, before signing on with J.P. Morgan in May 2007. He studied at Louisiana’s Tulane University, earning a bachelor’s degree in cellular and molecular biology, an MPH in health systems management from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and an MBA in finance from the Freeman School of Business. The researcher “combines differentiated primary research, strong relationships with managements, a good gauge of overall sentiment in the space and an insane work ethic when constructing his stock recommendations,” one fund manager cheers. “In addition, he doesn’t push stocks just for the sake of getting banking deals and will give his true opinion, regardless.” While noting that U.S. biotech shares have significantly outperformed the broader market for the past five years, Kasimov reports being “constructive overall, although we believe selectivity is becoming increasingly necessary,” he says. The group is “still in the relatively early innings of an innovation cycle that should help facilitate breakthrough discoveries and novel therapeutics for years to come.” Following a prolonged period of easy access to capital, companies are now sufficiently well funded to support maturing pipelines and a pickup in M&A activity, which could become an increasingly important tailwind, adds the 43-year-old analyst. “On the flip side, drug pricing pressures, the potential for shifting fund flows and heightened valuations are key risks,” he cautions. Given this backdrop, Kasimov is touting Bluebird Bio of Cambridge, Massachusetts, believing that near-term data could drive additional upside. “This is a highly innovative and potentially disruptive gene therapy company that is developing potential cures for significant blood disorders,” he explains. The next data update, which is likely to be revealed at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in December, could further reinforce investor confidence in the curative potential of the therapy LentiGlobin. “If ultimately approved, this product could generate multibillion dollars in annual peak sales,” adds Kasimov. Bluebird’s shares traded at $141.14 in mid-September, and he pegs them at $244.