The 2014 All-America Research Team: Retailing/Specialty Stores, No. 1: Brian Tunick

<The 2014 All-America Research Team Brian TunickJ.P. MorganFirst-Place Appearances: 9

Total Appearances: 11

Analyst Debut: 2004

Brian Tunick, 40, clocks his ninth straight appearance at the top of this list. The J.P. Morgan researcher “has been very good at discerning trends versus fads on a fashion level,” remarks one support, “and he does a great job of seeing points of deceleration or acceleration for brands and companies.” L Brands (formerly known as Limited Brands) is among the analyst’s favorite specialty retailers. The Columbus, Ohio–based operator of such chains as Bath & Body Works, Henri Bendel and Victoria’s Secret has earned Tunick’s buy recommendation since May 2010. In June 2013 he reiterated that position, believing that investors were underestimating the competitive advantage this company enjoyed within its high-return-on-investment categories. At the same time, L Brands’ international business was demonstrating solid growth, he noted. Sure enough, by mid-September 2014 the stock had leaped 31.7 percent, to $65.04, outdistancing its peers by 11.7 percentage points.