< The 2014 All-Europe Research Team Céline Fornaro & team Bank of America Merrill Lynch First-place appearances: 1
Total appearances: 11
Team debut: 1992 At No. 2 for a second straight year is Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s London-based twosome directed by Céline Fornaro. The duo tracks 13 stocks and merits particular praise for its coverage of U.K.-based GKN, which produces helicopters as well as transmissions for autos and aircraft. Crediting in large part rising demand, in January 2013, Fornaro and her colleague upgraded the stock from neutral to buy. By year’s end it had bolted 65.7 percent, to 373.30 pence, surpassing the sector by 18.2 percentage points. GKN remains attractive, the researchers believe, thanks to robust sales momentum and steadily rising profits. “Céline is a solid, dedicated analyst who was unflagging even during a recent shift in her support staff,” marvels one backer. Another solid recommendation was the pair’s September upgrade of France’s Zodiac Aerospace from neutral to buy, partly on its increased penetration into first- and business-class airplane cabins. Through December the supplier of aeronautical gear’s stock had flown to €128.75, for a gain of 20.3 percent that outperformed the sector’s rise by 6.8 percentage points.