LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wedbush Securities, one of the nation's leading financial services providers and an award-winning leader in small and mid-cap equity research, announced the expansion of its equity research team with the addition of senior analysts Heather Behanna, Scott Thompson and Lupine Skelly. Ms. Behanna and Mr. Thompson will cover a variety of companies in the pharmaceutical and communication equipment sectors, respectively, while Ms. Skelly will head the firm's very successful consumer channel checking group.
Ms. Behanna joins Wedbush as a Senior Vice President, Equity Research covering stocks in the pharmaceutical sector. In addition to her prior experience covering pharmaceutical stocks for four years, she was a senior scientist at the Astella Research Institute of America and an adjunct Associate Professor at the Northwest University Feinberg School of Medicine. Ms. Behanna holds a Bachelor of Science in biopsychology from Tufts University, a Master of Science in organic chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Northwestern University. In addition, she holds a Certificate in Financial Decision Making from the University of Chicago. She joins a well-established Life Science and Healthcare research team that includes six analysts covering stocks in the pharma, medical devices, tools and diagnostics and health care services sectors.
Mr. Thompson joins Wedbush as a Senior Vice President, Equity Research with an extensive background in the telecommunications and communications equipment industries and more than eight years of experience covering stocks in these sectors. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Master of Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis. Mr. Thompson becomes part of a team of seven analysts that covers stocks across the Technology, Media and Internet sectors.
Ms. Skelly has an extensive background managing consumer channel checking directives for more than 10 years. She joins Wedbush as a Senior Vice President, Equity Research and will be responsible for running the channel checking group across the consumer sector including apparel and hardlines retailing, restaurants, footwear and apparel, consumer products and healthy living. Ms. Skelly holds a Bachelor of Art in Business Economics from Williamette University and a Masters of Arts in Latin American studies from the University of Mexico.
"We are pleased to welcome Heather, Scott and Lupine aboard as we continue to expand our equity research platform." said Mark Benson, Director of Research, Wedbush Securities. "They all bring deep and insightful industry experience with proven track records of successfully building strong relationships with institutional clients."
Wedbush Equity Research offers in-depth and differentiated research coverage across the consumer, life sciences, technology and industrial growth sectors. The team, comprised of 25 publishing analysts, generates timely, insightful analyses and the firm's award-winning Wedbush Best Ideas List, an actively monitored compilation of stock ideas identifying outperformance trends over the forward 6 to 12 month period. Wedbush Equity Research consistently ranks among the industry's leading performance surveys including Barron's and Zacks Investment Research's "Top Stock Picking Firm," Financial Times' "Top Analysts," Institutional Investor's "Rising Stars of Wall Street Research," Wall Street Journal's "Best of the Street," and StarMine's "Analyst Awards for Excellence.
About Wedbush Securities
Founded in 1955, Wedbush Securities is a leading financial firm that provides brokerage, clearing, investment banking, equity research, public finance, fixed income sales and trading, and asset management to individual, institutional and issuing clients. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with over 100 registered offices, the firm focuses on relentless service, client financial safety, continuity, and advanced technology. Wedbush Securities is the largest subsidiary of holding company WEDBUSH, Inc. , which also includes affiliated firms Wedbush Asset Management , Wedbush Capital Partners , Wedbush Opportunity Partners , and Lime Brokerage LLC. Follow us on Twitter @Wedbush .
Brittany Price (213)688-8057
