Beatriz Santos Buitrago

Morgan Stanley & Co. International Plc (MSCI) is a brokerage firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1986 and is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Investments (UK), ultimately held by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) in the US. MSCI provides a range of brokerage services to corporations, governments and financial institutions.

JPMorgan Securities Plc is a brokerage firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1992 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JP Morgan Capital Holdings Ltd., ultimately owned by JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) in the US. JPMorgan Securities provides market research, proprietary pricing data and analytics, and trade execution across multiple asset classes such as credit, equities and FX. They help institutional investors, traditional and alternative asset and fund managers, broker dealers and equity issuers meet the demands of changing markets.

Citigroup Global Markets Ltd. (CGML) is an international broker-dealer firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1983 and is a subsidiary of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Bahamas Ltd., ultimately held by Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE: C) in the US. CGML has a major presence in the international financial markets as a dealer, market-maker and underwriter in equity and fixed income securities and offers risk-based solutions to producers and investors in commodity markets. They also provide corporate finance services to a wide range of corporate, institutional and government clients. Their trading activities encompass cash, exchange traded and OTC derivative markets.

Barclays Capital Securities Ltd. (BCS) is the brokerage subsidiary of Barclays Bank plc, which is owned by Barclays Plc (LON: BARC), an international financial services group in Great Britain. The firm was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in London with offices worldwide. BCS provides prime brokerage services which include equities and fixed income financing, OTC Clearing, Futures and Foreign Exchange Prime Brokerage and access to industry insights and analytics.

Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Ltd. (Credit Suisse Europe) is the Great Britain-based brokerage subsidiary of Credit Suisse Investment Holdings (UK), itself a subsidiary of Credit Suisse Group AG (SWX: CSGN) in Switzerland. The firm was founded in 1966 and formerly known as Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Ltd. Headquartered in London, Credit Suisse Europe arranges financing in international capital markets, provides financial advisory services and acts as a dealer in securities, derivatives and foreign exchange on a principal and agency basis for corporate and institutional investors.

Bernstein Autonomous LLP (dba Autonomous Research) is an investment research firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 2009 and is a subsidiary of Sanford C. Bernstein (Autonomous UK) 1 Ltd., ultimately owned by Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH) in the US. Autonomous Research provides fundamental analysis and thematic work on financial companies globally. Their clients are large institutional investors along with private equity firms, regulators, financial advisors and corporations who value the firm's research for its in-depth, intellectual approach and high quality.

Investec Bank Plc (Broker) (IBP) is the brokerage arm of Investec Bank Plc, itself a subsidiary of Investec Plc (LON: INVP) in Great Britain. Headquartered in London, IBP was founded in 1950 and they offer a full spectrum of brokerage services specifically tailored for corporate clients.

Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd. is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in London, UK. They are a subsidiary of Alliancebernstein Corp. of Delaware, ultimately held by Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH) in the US. Founded in 1999, the firm provides fundamental research and full service execution services to institutional clients globally. They offer bottom-up coverage and portfolio strategies supported by sophisticated quantitative tools.

Merrill Lynch International (MLI-UK) is a brokerage firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1988 and is a subsidiary of ML UK Capital Holdings Ltd., ultimately owned by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) in the US. MLI-UK provides brokerage services to individual and retail clients.

The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (Broker) (HSBC-Broker) is the brokerage division of The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. in Hong Kong. Their ultimate parent is HSBC Holdings Plc (LON: HSBA), a multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in London, UK. HSBC-Broker provides securities brokerage services to their clients.

Macquarie Capital (Europe) Ltd. (MCEL) is the London-based subsidiary of Macquarie Group Ltd. (SY: MQG), a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and fund management services. Operating as part of the Macquarie Capital Advisers division, MCEL provides investment advisory services in the UK and in continental Europe. In relation with Macquarie Securities Group, they provide access to Asia Pacific markets for European clients. In terms of research, MCEL supplies macro-economic, markets and stock level analysis to a diverse range of clients. Their capabilities cover equity, debt, ForEx, futures, metals and mining worldwide, economics and strategy. In 2009 Macquarie Group acquired the international brokerage firm Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller LLC. The London branch Fox-Pitt, Kelton Ltd. was absorbed into MCEL.

Part of Stifel Financial Corp., Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Ltd. is a wealth management and British investment banking company that helps individuals and organizations achieve their financial objectives. The company is based in London, UK. KBW's Equity Sales & Trading Division offers financial industry-specific knowledge and access to research and capital markets transactions. Additionally, 67 KBW employees lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and the company has since prioritized assisting the affected families through the KBW Family Fund. The company was founded in 2004.

Nomura International Plc provides a variety of financial services including advisement, investment banking and asset management. It trades in and sells fixed income and equity products, including related derivatives; and provides investment banking services, and corporate finance and private equity services. The company is also involved in asset and principal finance business. It offers investment advisory and management, custody, and employment services. Nomura International was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Commerzbank AG (UK) is the UK brokerage division of Commerzbank AG (FR: CBK) in Germany. Based in London, they engage in equity, debt and derivative instrument trading, investment banking, public finance and treasury, interest-rate and currency management, as well as corporate finance. In 2009 Dresdner Bank was acquired by and merged into Commerzbank and the London-based activities of Dresdner Kleinwort Securities absorbed into Commerzbank AG (UK). The firm provides capital markets services, corporate advisory, risk management, research and lending services focused on equity, corporate and emerging-market debt, derivatives and money market products. Their clients are European and international corporations, institutions and government entities. In terms of corporate finance they offer financial advisory as well as execution capabilities for a wide range of corporate finance-related transactions on a global basis. Their primary focus is on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, equity issues and initial public offerings.

Panmure Gordon (UK) Ltd. (PGL) is the stockbroking subsidiary of Panmure Gordon & Co. Ltd. in Great Britain. Headquartered in London, the firm was founded in 2003 and provides corporate finance advice, distributes and trades securities and produces investment research to UK small and mid-cap corporates and investment companies. PGL has access to capital markets via a range of equity and equity-linked products such as IPOs, accelerated book buildings, placings, rights issues, and bought deals. The firm's institutional equities department provides UK-focused research, sales and trading services to institutional investors in the UK, US and Europe.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Ltd. (MSIM) is an asset management firm headquartered in London, UK. Founded in 1986, the firm is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Investments (UK), ultimately held by Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) in the US. MSIM offers a range of investment and risk management solutions to institutional and professional investors worldwide.

Edison Investment Research Ltd. (Edison) is an investment research, investor relations and consulting firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded by Stephen Rogers and Fraser Thorne in 2003. They are a subsidiary of Edison Global Ltd. Edison provides investment research to international investors, advisors and stakeholders.

Agency Partners LLP provides brokerage services. The private company is based in London, UK and has subsidiaries in United Kingdom.

Société Générale SA (UK) (Société Générale UK) is the Great Britain-based brokerage division of Societe Generale SA (XP: GLE, ADR: SCGLY) in France. Headquartered in London, Société Générale UK was founded in 1993 and provides broking services.

Dom Maklerski PKO BP SA (Broker) (Dom Maklerski PKO) is the broker/dealer division of Dom Maklerski PKO BP SA, an investment company headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. The firm was founded in 1991 and is a subsidiary of Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA (WSE: PKO). Dom Maklerski PKO provides brokerage services to individual and institutional investors, both domestic and foreign.

Part of MF Global Holdings Ltd., MF Global UK Ltd. is a company that provides brokerage services. The company is based in London, UK.

The Conservatoire for Dance & Drama is a private company based in London, UK. The British company provides business broadband, web hosting, domains, servers, data storage, cloud hosting, and VoIP services. The company also offers network security and data backup solutions. Fastnet International, a company that has been helping organizations get connected since 1995, owns the Conservatoire for Dance & Drama. The company was founded in 2001, and the CEO is Nick Holland.

Barclays Bank Plc (Investment Management) (Barclays Bank-IM) is the investment management division of Barclays Bank Plc, the international and investment banking unit of Barclays PLC (LON: BARC; NYSE: BCS) in Great Britain. Headquartered in London, Barclays Bank-IM was founded in 1971 and provides corporate, government and institutional clients with a full spectrum of strategic advisory, financing and risk management solutions.

Gladstone Capital Management LLP, do-business-as Gladstone Partners (Gladstone), is an independent alternative investment management firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded by George Michelakis in 2005. Gladstone provides discretionary management to pooled investment vehicles and segregated accounts.

Part of HSBC Holdings Plc, HSBC Yatirim Menkul Degerler AS is a financial investment company based in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish company's services include a variety of investment products that can be explored on their website. The company, founded in 2002, offers a range of investment solutions tailored to meet the needs of its clients.

Peel Hunt LLP is an independent securities brokerage firm headquartered in London, UK. The firm was founded in 1989 as a market liquidity provider to retail and institutional investors. They provide bespoke dealing and execution services for institutional asset managers, registrars, private client wealth managers and private banks.

Founded in 2009, Erste Securities Istanbul Menkul Degerler AS is a part of Erste Group Bank AG, one of the largest financial service providers in Central and Eastern Europe. The company is based in Istanbul, Turkey. Erste Group Bank AG is a major player in the financial industry, providing a wide range of services to clients in the region.

Cheuvreux International Ltd. (Cheuvreux International) is the Great Britain-based brokerage subsidiary of Kepler Capital Markets SA in France. Established in 1984, the firm was formerly known as Crédit Agricole Cheuvreux International Ltd. In 2013, Kepler Capital Markets SA acquired Crédit Agricole Cheuvreux from Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank and Credit Agricole Cheuvreux International Ltd. changed their name to Cheuvreux International Ltd. Based in London, Cheuvreux International provides a range of equity brokerage services including research, distribution, sales trading, trading, corporate access, ETFs, corporate brokerage and research & execution to the retail networks of the Crédit Agricole Group.

BNY Mellon Investment Management EMEA Ltd. (BNYMIM EMEA) is the Great Britain-based asset management subsidiary of BNY Mellon International Asset Management Group Ltd., ultimately owned by The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE: BK) in the US. Founded in 1973, BNYMIM EMEA is headquartered in London and utilizes the skills of specialized investment managers to provide a range of asset management services for governments, pension plan sponsors, corporations, foundations, advisers, intermediaries, individuals and families, and family offices.

HSBC Securities & Capital Markets (India) Pvt Ltd. (HSBC Securities India) is a securities brokerage firm headquartered in Mumbai, India. The firm was founded in 1994 and is a subsidiary of HSBC Investment Bank Holdings BV, ultimately held by HSBC Holdings Plc (LON: HSBA) in Great Britain. HSBC Securities India offers services in Investment Banking (IB), Infrastructure and Real Estate, Equities research and stock broking. Infrastructure and Real Estate Group services are provided to governments, large corporates and top-tier banks. Equities research and stock broking primarily cater to the institutional client base which includes foreign institutional investors, foreign portfolio investors, local institutions, mutual funds, insurance companies, and select high net worth and corporate clients.

Founded in 2002 by Hunter Thompson and William Davis, Thompson Davis & Co. (TD & Co.) is an independent investment research firm and broker/dealer located in Richmond, Virginia with an additional office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The firm is a member of FINRA and the SIPC. TD & Co. provides unbiased, original research and services to institutional and retail investors. They do not perform research on companies for investment banking opportunities. TD & Co. also offers a full-range of financial services ranging from financial planning and private money management to corporate and municipal bonds. TD & Co.'s research team employs a focused methodology. They seek to identified, under followed, undervalued growth companies. The firm uses computer screens that look for companies with sequential revenue and earnings growth and strong balance sheets that are selling at a discount to their growth rates. Specifically, TD& Co. looks for companies with several characteristics: (1) 20% + revenue and earnings growth (2) sequential revenue and earnings growth, i.e., quarter over quarter improvement in both the top and bottom line (3) top management is buying the company's stock in the open market with their own money (4) significant management ownership of the stock (5) strong balance sheets with little or no debt or manageable declining debt, strong cash position or debt reduction efforts (6) operating in a growing market sector (no deep cyclicals or natural resource sectors) (7) gross margin expansion and market share gains and (8) selling at a discount to the company growth rate, allowing for p/e expansion toward growth rate.