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A bullish call on an online travel agency helps lift Justin Post from runner-up to second place.

Mark Mahaney Citi
second teamJustin Post BofA Merrill Lynch
third teamImran Khan J.P. Morgan
Mark Mahaney is always on top of things, asserts one money manager. The Citi analyst is also on top of the sector for a second straight year. Mahaney, 43, upgraded online travel services provider Expedia from hold to buy in March, at $7.65, because of the former Microsoft Corp. subsidiarys move to eliminate booking fees at a time of declining leisure travel. He also liked the Bellevue, Washingtonbased companys strong prospects for revenue growth acceleration in 2010. The stock had skyrocketed to $23.05 by August 31, an eye-popping 201.3 percent advance that made the sectors 28.2 percent gain look as if it hadnt left the departure lounge.
A bullish call on an online travel agency helps lift Justin Post from runner-up to second place. Backers say the BofA Merrill analyst offers a unique perspective and doesnt just repeat what everyone else is saying. Post recommended Priceline.com in January, at $73.65, calling investors attention to the Norwalk, Connecticutbased companys growing market share, and he reiterated the call in July. Pricelines share price surged 109.1 percent in the first eight months of the year, to $153.98.
Imran Khan of J.P. Morgan, who drops one notch to third, knows his companies inside and out no detail escapes his attention, marvels one client. Khans best calls of the past year include a January upgrade to overweight on Amazon.com, on the belief that a short-term consumer-spending slowdown would not hamper the Seattle-based online superstores long-term growth prospects. The stock outperformed the broad market by 39.9 percentage points, through August.
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