Gregory Gilbert

Gregory Gilbert Merrill Lynch SECOND TEAM Aaron (Ronny) Gal Sanford C. Bernstein THIRD TEAM Market Volatility May Boost Distressed Credit Opportunities Sponsored by Fidelity Investments May 12, 2025 Marc Goodman Credit Suisse RUNNERS-UP Corey Davis Natixis Bleichroeder ; Richard Silver Barclays ; David Steinberg Deutsche

Repeating in first place, Gregory ­Gilbert, 35, wins praise for alerting investors to merger and acquisition opportunities. One example: Al­pharma, a pain­killer developer headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey, which the Merrill Lynch analyst recommended in June 2007, at $24.99. In August 2008 rival King Pharmaceuticals of Bristol, Tennessee, advanced a $1.4 billion buyout bid. Alpharma’s shares skyrocketed on the news and in mid-­September were trading at $37.75, a gain of 51.1 percent since Gilbert’s recommendation that outpaced the sector by 43.6 percentage points. ­Alpharma management has thus far rejected King’s offer, but negotiations continue. Aaron (Ronny) Gal of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., who leaps from ­runner-up to No. 2, is “great on the gen­erics story and great on the proprietary niche indications as well,” says one ­money man­ager. On the heels of generics maker Barr Pharmaceuticals’ consensus-­beating May 2007 earnings report, Gal up­graded the Montvale, New ­Jersey–based com­pany’s stock to buy, at $52.25. ­Israel’s ­Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced in ­July that it would acquire the com­pany for $66.50 a share. The deal is expected to close by year-end. “Fantastic access to management and a solid perspective on the sector,” in the words of one investor, help Marc Goodman advance from ­runner-up to third. The ­Credit ­Suisse analyst recommended ­Teva in June 2007, at $38.79, ­based on its mix of off-­patent and proprietary products. The stock had ­risen 20.1 percent, to $46.57, by mid-­September 2008.

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