SECOND TEAM

Laurent Poinsot & team Crédit Agricole Cheuvreux

Working out of Paris, Laurent Poinsot steers the 25-analyst Crédit Agricole Cheuvreux squad to a second consecutive second-place finish. “Traditionally, they’ve stood out in French equities by giving us good corporate access,” explains one buy-side supporter. In February 2010 the team urged clients to buy European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., at €13.80, on the belief that the Leiden, Netherlands–based manufacturer, which has major operations in France, presented a great turnaround story — despite delays and cost overruns associated with its Airbus A380 — thanks to promising growth in emerging markets. The stock had shot up 26.4 percent, to €17.44, by the end of the year, and bested France’s broad market by more than 20 percentage points.