Kunihiro Matsumoto UBS
The buy side says: “He is capable and insightful.”
Kunihiro Matsumoto of UBS claims the top spot for a fifth straight year. Praised by one client for his “good investment ideas,” the 46-year-old follows 23 companies; that figure is unchanged from last year, and Matsumoto does not foresee adding to his universe. Winning recommendations of late include an upgrade on Calsonic Kansei Corp. from neutral to buy in February 2011, at ¥359, largely on growing demand from parent Nissan Motor Co. Calsonic’s shares plummeted to ¥278 two months later, following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, but Matsumoto pounded the table, arguing that the Saitama-based supplier of radiators, mufflers, car alarms and other components would rebound quickly. He was right — and by the end of February, the stock had surged 30.6 percent, to ¥469, since his upgrade. In October, Matsumoto cut Exedy Corp. from buy to neutral, at ¥2,788, on declining earnings growth. The Osaka-based transmission maker’s stock fell 3.3 percent, to ¥2,697, through February. — Ben Mattlin
