THIRD TEAM

Shigeki Matsumoto Nomura Securities Co.

 In third place for a second straight year is Shigeki Matsumoto of Nomura Securities Co. Matsumoto pounded the table in September on Inpex Corp., citing the Tokyo-based exploration and production company’s promising drilling projects in Australia. By the end of February, the stock had rocketed 41.3 percent, from ¥404,000 to ¥571,000, and was ahead of the sector by 7.7 percentage points. Detractors note, however, that Inpex shares had tumbled since Matsumoto first began recommending them in May 2009; they were down 19.4 percent through February. Even so, “he has very deep knowledge of the companies he covers and provides comprehensive information and analysis,” explains one backer.

Polling and tabulation of data as well as reporting on the sector profiles were completed before the March 11 Tohoku earthquake.