SECOND TEAM Richard Gross Barclays Capital
Richard Gross climbs one rung to second place; the Barclays Capital analyst also captures third place in Natural Gas sector. He “provides the best macro overview, which allows us to better see how our positions fit within the greater context,” according to one portfolio manager. Gross initiated coverage on Chesapeake Midstream Partners in September 2010 with an overweight rating, at $23.79, dubbing the Oklahoma City–based partnership a “top-tier growth MLP” and predicting total annual returns of 14 to 15 percent. By the end of August, the shares had surged 17.2 percent, to $27.87; during the same period the Standard & Poor’s MLP index gained 8 percent. Gross also earns acclaim for his “MLP Trader Weekly,” a report that one investor insists is “unmatched in both its delivery of technical data and qualitative commentary.”