THIRD TEAM
Ross Smotrich & teamBarclays Capital
Ross Smotrich guides the Barclays Capital quintet from runner-up to third place. Valued for “thorough, detailed research reports and weekly valuation analyses that help us make investment decisions,” in the words of one follower, the team presciently upgraded Camden Property Trust from equal weight to overweight in January 2010, judging it undervalued at $38.13. The Houston-based apartment community developer was well positioned for an earnings rebound, they argued, and had significant capital on hand. Sure enough, through August 2011 the stock skyrocketed 75.2 percent, to $66.82, and shot past the sector by 45.7 percentage points.