Sandler O’Neill Analysts Recognized by Financial Times/StarMine and Wall Street Journal ‘Best on the Street’

Insurance Analysts Earn Multiple Honors for Stock Picking Ability

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P., a full-service investment banking firm specializing in financial services companies, today announced that five of its analysts were recognized by the Financial Times/StarMine and The Wall Street Journal “Best on the Street” annual analyst surveys.

“Our clients turn to us for research containing timely, independent, value-added analysis on the companies and topics that matter most in the financial services sector”

The three Sandler O’Neill analysts recognized by the Financial Times/StarMine are:

• Richard Repetto, Principal – Second place earnings estimator for the diversified financial services sector and third place stock picker in the same sector,
• Michael Taiano, Managing Director – Second place earnings estimator for the Real Estate Investment Trust sector, and
• Edward Shields, Associate Director – Second place stock picker for the insurance sector.

Sandler O’Neill today also noted the recognition of two of the firm’s research analysts by The Wall Street Journal “Best on the Street” analyst survey. For 2010, Paul Newsome, Managing Director, and Mr. Shields ranked as the nation’s No. 3 stock pickers for the Non-Life and Life Insurance categories, respectively. The Wall Street Journal bases its rankings solely on stock picking results.

“Our clients turn to us for research containing timely, independent, value-added analysis on the companies and topics that matter most in the financial services sector,” said Mark Fitzgibbon, Principal and Director of Research at Sandler O’Neill. “The recognition of so many of our analysts’ contributions to our clients and to our research team is gratifying and reflective of our increased focus on non-bank financial companies such as insurance companies and REITs. Our resources are deeper and our commitment is greater than ever to furthering our position as a thought leader within the financial services sectors.”

About Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.

Founded in 1988, Sandler O’Neill + Partners is a full-service investment banking firm dedicated to providing comprehensive, innovative advisory and transaction execution services to the financial industry. The firm specializes in strategic business planning, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, mutual-to-stock conversions, investment portfolio and interest rate risk management, fixed income securities transactions and mortgage finance restructurings. Sandler O’Neill also is a market maker in hundreds of financial stocks and publishes equity and fixed income research focused on selected banks, thrifts and insurance companies, credit card companies, investment banks, asset managers, specialty finance companies, e-finance companies, real estate investment trusts and transaction execution companies. Additional information about Sandler O’Neill can be found on the firm’s website at www.sandleroneill.com.