The 2016 All-Europe Research Team: Beverages, No. 2: Simon Hales & team

The Barclays duo directed by Simon Hales advances to second place from last year’s runner-up finish

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< The 2016 All-Europe Research Team

2016-02-tom-johnson-all-europe-research-team-simon-hales.jpg

Simon Hales & team
Barclays
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 4

Team debut: 2011

The Barclays duo directed by Simon Hales advances to second place from last year’s runner-up finish, marking the firm’s best showing on this list since its 2011 debut. Preferred companies in the London-based researchers’ portfolio of 18 European beverages stocks include Diageo, the world’s largest distiller and a leading producer of beer and wine. Amid a group of names whose valuations are starting to look pretty stretched, says 42-year-old Hales, U.K.-headquartered Diageo could offer more value, in part thanks to management’s efforts to reposition its U.S. portfolio. Their overweight rating on the stock is a long-held position — and although the shares slipped 2 percent during the 12 months through mid-January, to close at 1,791p, they outperformed Europe’s broad market by 3.8 percentage points. The Barclays pair believes that a price of 1,950p is justified. “I found Hales’s deep dive on Diageo to be helpful, and overall find him to be a very solid analyst,” one fund manager offers.

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