Timothy Arcuri Citi

Although he slips one rung to second place, Citi’s Timothy Arcuri continues to win the admiration of investors for his data-driven analysis and bold recommendations. “He is a seasoned veteran who is not afraid to take a contrarian view,” cheers one advocate. Case in point: The San Francisco–based analyst highlighted his buy rating on Plainview, New York’s Veeco Instruments in January, at $32.58, on the belief that consensus estimates of the semiconductor and data-storage manufacturer’s fourth-quarter earnings were too low. He was right. In early February the company announced that revenue had reached a record $146 million in the final three months of last year, up 33 percent over the same period in 2008. The stock took off, vaulting 56.7 percent, to $51.05, by late April. That’s when Arcuri told clients to take profits — and it’s a good thing he did. By the end of August, Veeco’s shares had tumbled to $33.23.