< The 2014 All-America Research Team
Total Appearances: 5
Analyst Debut: 2009Repeating in first place is Bank of America Merrill Lynch researcher Timna Tanners, who is “well connected to the industry and to investors,” as one admirer attests. “She has always heard the latest goings-on and is thinking ahead.” Another backer echoes that observation: “Timna keeps tabs on the fundamentals of the market through her network of traders and industry professionals.” Many investors praise the 41-year-old analyst for maintaining her long-standing buy rating on Allegheny Technologies. She has over the past year repeatedly touted the Pittsburgh-based specialty alloys producer, citing a variety of catalysts that include a long-awaited price recovery in nickel, stainless steel and titanium; an unanticipated restocking among aircraft jet-engine makers, which are key customers; and the ramping up of the company’s new state-of-the-art steel-rolling facility. Allegheny’s stock has rewarded her optimism. Over the 12 months through mid-September, it leaped 48.7 percent, to $41.73, outperforming U.S. metals and mining shares by 33.6 percentage points. Tanners still recommends buying it, believing that fundamentals support a price of $50. Another favorite among the 22 names in her sector portfolio is Nucor Corp. of Charlotte, North Carolina — the world’s largest steelmaker, by market value. Citing the producer’s growing sales to the auto industry, low cost structure and healthy balance sheet, the researcher recommends buying Nucor’s stock and assigns it a target price of $59; in mid-September the shares closed at $55.35.