< The 2015 All-America Research Team

Total appearances: 5

Analyst debut: 2010

While clocking his third consecutive year at No. 3 on this lineup, Evercore ISI’s Ross Muken also makes his first appearance on the Health Care Technology & Distribution roster, as a runner-up. “Ross and his team do a good job of utilizing technology to get research distributed efficiently through audio and video,” reports one fund manager, who also values the researcher’s “knowledge and insights on the overall industry, as well as his company-specific research.” A second admirer comments: “Ross provides instant analysis of breaking news. He is very detail oriented in his modeling and very responsive to questions.” Sector performance has been volatile over the past year, the 36-year-old Muken notes. “The macro environment has been challenging industrial demand, and China remains a wild card,” he explains, “but biopharmaceuticals have been a standout.” He forecasts continuing turbulence through year’s end, with more downside risk. Looking further ahead, the analyst is drawing investors’ attention to Washington-based analytical-instruments-maker Danaher Corp., citing the company’s “compelling value proposition” since its $13.8 billion, August acquisition of Port Washington, New York’s Pall Corp., a leading manufacturer of filtration, purification and separation technologies. Muken also credits management’s plans to absorb Pall then split off the industrial businesses, resulting in two publicly traded entities. “We see huge value unlock as both assets are optimized,” he adds. His price target of $104.50 for Danaher anticipates a potential upside of 21.2 percent, compared with its value in mid-September.