< The 2014 All-Europe Research Team
For a fourth year running, Max Warburton’s Sanford C. Bernstein team outshines all its peers. From his base in Singapore, Warburton leads one colleague in London and two in Hong Kong in delivering “truly global coverage,” in the words of one client. Of the 14 companies under their coverage — half in Europe, half in Asia — just one in this sector merits their recommendation: Germany’s BMW, a long-standing favorite. The luxury car and motorcycle maker has been enjoying strong demand from the “Chinese premium-car market,” says Warburton, 39. His crew upgraded the stock to outperform from market perform in March 2011, and by year end 2013, it had skyrocketed 60.6 percent, to €85.22, besting the sector by 8.9 percentage points and gaining 16.9 percent last year alone. In more bearish coverage, last May, after Fiat’s stock had risen 42 percent for the year to date and trounced the sector by 34.8 percentage points, the analysts downgraded the Italian automaker and parent company of U.S. manufacturer Chrysler Group from outperform to market perform, largely on valuation. Through December, Fiat’s shares jumped 10.6 percent, to €5.95, trailing the sector by 15 percentage points since the downgrade. “Max is one expert you can trust,” attests another supporter. See also Max Warburton's profile in the 2013 All-Europe Research Team and the 2012 All-Europe Research Team. |
