Hiroshi Koba Mitsubishi UFJ
second team Sho Kawano Goldman Sachs
third team Taketo Yamate UBS
runners-up Chiaki Hirota JPMorgan; Maki Shinozaki Daiwa Institute
Hiroshi Koba, 42, of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. was No. 1 last year in Retailing. This year the sector has been divided, and Koba captures top honors among analysts who cover Convenience & Specialty Stores. Noted for “standing firm on his research findings for long-term value,” according to one client, Koba reiterated his long-standing outperform recommendation on Japan’s biggest shoemaker, Chiyoda Co., in March 2008. Through February 2009 the stock had outpaced the sector by 16.8 percentage points. Sho Kawano of Goldman Sachs (Japan), a runner-up in Retailing for the previous two years, finishes second. Lauded as an “exceptional stock picker” by one investor, Kawano upgraded Fast Retailing Co. to buy in October, at ¥8,190, on the clothing retailer’s renewed commitment to its core business. The stock had shot up to ¥9,950 by late February. Taketo Yamate, No. 3 last year in Retailing, is No. 3 in both Retailing sectors this year. The UBS analyst also recommended Fast Retailing in October, and clients who followed his advice enjoyed a 17.3 percent gain through February.
Back to the main article and list of sectors
2009 All-Japan Research Team Rankings