George Staphos |
First TeamGeorge Staphos BofA Second Team Ghansham Panjabi, Wachovia Third Team Timothy Thein, Citi Runners-Up Christopher Manuel, KeyBanc; Claudia Shank, JPMorgan |
“In a sector flooded with smart but inexperienced number-crunchers, his longevity gives his work unmatched depth and heft,” says one client of George Staphos, who has been No. 1 for eight of the past nine years. Staphos, 42, who is No. 3 in Paper & Forest Products, wins praise for reiterating his long-standing buy on Owens-Illinois. In August 2006 the Banc of America Securities analyst told customers of recent productivity initiatives at the Perrysburg, Ohio, container manufacturer. Through mid-September 2007 the shares had skyrocketed 196.5 percent, easily outpacing the sector’s 31.1 percent gain. Buy-siders say Wachovia Securities’ Ghansham Panjabi, who repeats in second, “provides a great deal of useful information” and “solid stock picks.” Last November, Panjabi upgraded AptarGroup, at a split-adjusted $26.64, because of rising sales and an improved balance sheet at the Crystal Lake, Illinois, manufacturer. By mid-September the stock had risen 28.0 percent. Debuting in third is Citi’s Timothy Thein, formerly a junior analyst to top-ranked Paper & Forest Products researcher Chip Dillon. Fans praise Thein for upgrading Owens-Illinois to buy in July 2006 — shortly after his promotion to senior analyst — at $15.06, on rising demand. By mid-September 2007 the stock was up 164.2 percent. “Although Tim is a relative newcomer, he adds value like a seasoned veteran,” hails one client. |
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Capital Goods/Industrials: Packaging