< The 2016 All-Europe Research Team
Justin Jordan & team
Jefferies International
First-place appearances: 1
Total appearances: 10
Team debut: 1987
Four years ago American securities house Jefferies Group extended its reach in the U.K. by acquiring storied local brokerage Hoare Govett from Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Hoare Govett had maintained a regular presence on this roster during the first decade of the All-Europe Research Team’s run, appearing most recently in 1996 as a runner-up; it was then part of Dutch banking giant ABN Amro, which RBS acquired in October 2007. Now Jefferies International, the U.S. firm’s European subsidiary, returns to snap up second place with a two-person crew captained by newcomer Justin Jordan. The 45-year-old analyst joined Jefferies from RBS and previously managed money for nearly a decade. He earned a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science at City University London and holds a master’s degree in investment analysis from Scotland’s University of Stirling. From their base in London, Jordan and his teammate track eight European paper and packing names, garnering plaudits for generating "high-conviction calls that made us money," in the words of one client. They began reporting on U.K.-headquartered specialty plastics producer RPC Group in March, deeming the company attractive thanks to the rapid earnings growth in its rigid packaging business, the fastest-growing segment of the packaging industry. Through mid-January the shares leaped 33.3 percent, to 739.50p, outpacing the regional broad market by 48.2 percentage points. Going forward, the researchers also give the nod to the largest player in this European space, Smurfit Kappa Group, crediting rising prices for the Irish producer’s corrugated boxes. At €32, their price target indicates a 41.5 percent upside for the stock, compared with its value in mid-January.