THIRD TEAM Gary Balter  Credit Suisse

Although he slips one notch to third place, after four years in second, Gary Balter continues to impress clients with his “great overall perspective,” as one money manager puts it. In January the Credit Suisse analyst reiterated his long-standing sell recommendation on Sears Holding Corp. — he has been negative on the stock since initiating coverage way back in January 2008 — making the case that the Hoffman Estates, Illinois–based discount- and department-store operator would continue to experience declining sales and falling profits. In August the company reported that year-over-year same-store sales in the second quarter, ended July 30, were flat at its Kmart division, down 1.2 percent at its Sears Domestic unit and down 5.8 percent at Sears Canada. By the end of that month, the stock had fallen 19.7 percent, from $74.57 to $59.89, and trailed the sector by 15.1 percentage points.