Peter Karlsson & team, Handelsbanken Capital Markets
Bounding from runner-up to second place is Stockholm-based Peter Karlsson and his Handelsbanken Capital Markets troupe of 40. Although the analysts, who cover a whopping 270 stocks, believe that markets in northern Europe will outperform those in the south this year, they think the Continent as a whole will underperform the U.S.; therefore, they are advising clients to favor companies with products and services in strong demand overseas. Examples include Finnish pulp and paper manufacturer Stora Enso and such Swedish outfits as Elekta, a maker of oncology care products; telecommunications services provider Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson; and ball-bearing manufacturer SKF. “Handelsbanken is the blue-chip bank,” declares one U.S. investor. “It has the best relationships with the companies — I always listen to their stock recommendations.”