Citi’s Hironari Nozaki captures his tenth consecutive first-place finish and earns a spot in the inaugural All-Japan Research Team Hall of Fame. In November, a month before the return to power of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his center-right Liberal Democratic Party, the analyst reiterated his valuation-based buy on Mizuho Financial Group, at ¥130. “I felt strongly that a new government would benefit the industry in terms of monetary and fiscal policy,” the 49-year-old recalls. He was right. By mid-March shares of the Tokyo-based institution had soared 63.1 percent, to ¥212, and bested the sector by 12 percentage points. The stock remains a top pick owing to Mizuho’s “high sensitivity to Japanese reflation, as well as opportunities in overseas markets and historically low valuation,” says Nozaki, who covers 15 banks and nine financial services firms. “He quickly issued smart ideas around how best to leverage the ‘Abenomics’ rally,” marvels one London-based money manager. — Ben Mattlin |
Industries – Banks: First
