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After falling to runner-up last year, John DiFucci returns to the No. 3 spot he held in 2010 and 2009. The J.P. Morgan researcher “does deep analytical work,” according to one client, and “isn’t afraid to take a contrarian stance,” declares another. His weekly “What Price Is Right?” report is a “must-have valuation work in a rapidly consolidating sector,” adds a third investor. DiFucci has been bullish on Palo Alto, California–based Tibco Software since June 2008 — a stance he has highlighted repeatedly, on the belief that the business-optimization software developer’s shares are undervalued. The stock bolted 33.7 percent and bested the sector by 19.5 percentage points in the 12 months through August. The analyst predicted that the second half of the year would start with a rally — the sector advanced 5.8 percent in July and August — but that it wouldn’t last, owing to “increasingly weak financial services and uncertainty” out of Washington. “We’re telling investors you can make money on both sides — if you can also short — but if you’re a long-only, you should buy the dips because you may be able to pick up some names you didn’t think you would be able to.” RUNNER(S)-UP Heather Bellini Goldman, Sachs & Co. Brent Thill UBS Philip Winslow Jr. Credit Suisse |
Technology, Media & Telecommunications – Software: Third