Akiko Kuwahara Bank of America Merrill Lynch
The buy side says: “Kuwahara is always up to date on the latest trends.”
Topping the roster for a second consecutive year is Akiko Kuwahara; the Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst is also a runner-up in Ceramics & Glass. Kuwahara, 38, covers 12 companies — three more than last year. Clients praise the actionable nature of her work: “We have been able to broaden the horizon of our investments by taking a look at her in-depth reports in combination with her monthly sector updates,” says one. Kuwahara takes a long-term view that emphasizes the “growth potential of the companies,” she notes, though the outlook these days is anything but clear. Recent price hikes will boost Japanese paper manufacturers, the analyst believes, but will also cause some producers to lose market share to cheaper imports. Volatile prices of petrochemicals used to manufacture polymers for the textile industry leave many companies vulnerable to earnings pressure. Kuwahara upgraded Tokyo’s Toray Industries from neutral to buy back in August 2010, at ¥471, and has reiterated the call repeatedly since, on the carbon-fiber producer’s efforts to control costs and inventory. The stock zipped up 22.7 percent, to ¥578, through February. Her “diligent work allows us to get a consistent update of the recent data points,” proclaims another money manager. — Pam Baker
