| Unranked last year as he moved from Bank of America Merrill Lynch to Barclays, Alan Rifkin returns to the roster in third place — his best showing since 2006, when he led the lineup. The analyst is valued for his stock-picking skills: “In a macro environment where uncertainty is high, his calls have worked very well,” says one grateful client. Rifkin says his approach is straightforward: “I look for companies that have embraced their maturity and are not wasting capital chasing growth that doesn’t yield incremental returns.” His top picks include two auto-parts retailers — O’Reilly Automotive of Springfield, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee–based AutoZone — that he first recommended in June 2008 and has highlighted repeatedly since, largely owing to their “low cyclicality,” he says. In the 12 months through August, the stocks raced ahead 30.9 and 17.8 percent, respectively. RUNNER(S)-UP Gary Balter Matthew Fassler Christopher Horvers |
