< The 2015 All-America Research Team
Michael Gambardella
J.P. Morgan
First-place appearances: 8
Total appearances: 19
Analyst debut: 1995
Retaining the No. 2 spot he has held since 2013 is Michael Gambardella, whom one fund manager describes as the “go-to analyst for historical commodities trends and current company dynamics across several regions.” The J.P. Morgan researcher has long held a negative view of Pittsburgh-based specialty steel and alloys producer Allegheny Technologies. Citing a soft pricing environment largely as a result of additional low-cost volumes’ entering the market, he assigns the shares an underweight rating. Indeed, they have trailed their peers, sinking 57.9 percent over the 12 months through mid-September, to $17.25, while U.S. metals and mining companies overall lost 47.9 percent. Although he believes that the downside risk to Allegheny’s performance has by now been priced in significantly, Gambardella, 58, remains bearish. The strong dollar and domestic overcapacity will continue to pressure exports and earnings, he forecasts. At the other end of the spectrum is Constellium, an aluminum supplier that is headquartered in the Netherlands and whose shares trade in New York. A favorite among the 25 names the analyst covers from his base in Stuart, Florida, Constellium is enjoying strong demand from the autos and aerospace industries, he reports. At $17, his price objective for the stock represents a 103.1 percent upside to its value in mid-September.