Adam Feinstein |
First TeamAdam Feinstein Lehman Second Team Gary Taylor, BofA Third Team Jason Gurda, Bear Stearns Runners-Up Darren Lehrich, Deutsche; Matthew Ripperger, Citi |
Adam Feinstein at Lehman Brothers holds on to the top spot for a third year in a row. “He’s good on the lab stocks,” explains one grateful client, citing the analyst’s buy recommendation of Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings in March, at $67.46. Feinstein, 35, reasoned that even though competition was heating up, concerns about a price war were overstated. By mid-September shares of the Burlington, North Carolina–based medical-testing company had surged 18.0 percent, easily outperforming the sector’s 2.7 percent advance. Moving up a notch to second, Gary Taylor publishes “great survey-driven industry reports,” says one portfolio manager. The Banc of America Securities analyst alerted investors to an overlooked gem in Manor Care, a Toledo, Ohio–based operator of skilled-nursing-care facilities. Taylor was so impressed with the operational efficiency of the company’s business model that last December he named it his top small-cap pick for 2007. By mid-September the stock was up a very healthy 36.8 percent. Debuting in third, Jason Gurda “really went off the map for ideas” this year, says one pleased buy-sider. The Bear Stearns analyst initiated coverage of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania–based nursing home operator Genesis HealthCare Corp. last October as an attractive growth prospect at $48.59. In January the company received an offer to go private at $63.00 a share, sparking a bidding war among private equity firms that took the final price up to $69.35 in May. |
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Health Care: Health Care Facilities 2007