The Benchmark Company

Company history

Richard Messina founded The Benchmark Company in New York in 1988 as an institutionally focused research, sales and trading, and investment banking firm. Its research department reached 20 senior analysts in 2021, expanding coverage to more than 350 companies. StoneX Group announced the acquisition in March 2025 and completed it in August 2025, placing Benchmark in its Institutional division while keeping the brand; Messina remained CEO.

1. 1988Richard Messina founds The Benchmark Company in New York
2. 2021Research team reaches 20 senior analysts
3. 2025StoneX Group completes acquisition of Benchmark
4. 2026Launches research on regional and community banks

Research

StoneX's equity research, delivered through Benchmark, covered more than 350 companies in six core sectors and over 30 industries as of 2026, from semiconductors and internet to energy, transportation and biotechnology. In June 2026 it added a Financial Institutions Group practice covering regional and community banks. Ratings are Buy, Speculative Buy (market value below $100 million and/or higher financial risk), Hold and Sell, measured against the analyst's sector or industry index over 6–12 months.

Coverage12M

Stocks

349

Ratings

719

Price targets

16

Median upside

+21.7%

Upgrades

23

Downgrades

40

Initiations

51

Reiterations

605

Activity24M

Most covered24M

Stock	Rating	Target	Actions	Last action
TSEMTower Semiconductor Ltd.	Buy	—	17	Aug 5
JBHTJ.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.	Buy	—	14	Jun 26
PLXSPlexus Corp.	Buy	—	14	Mar 16
MRVLMarvell Technology, Inc.	Buy	—	13	Aug 24
NVDANVIDIA Corporation	Buy	$215	13	Aug 27
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.	Buy	$95	12	Jul 23
FLUTFlutter Entertainment plc	Buy	—	12	Aug 6
DAVEDave Inc.	Buy	$320	11	Jul 1
DKNGDraftKings Inc.	Buy	$50	11	Aug 7
IMAXIMAX Corporation	Buy	—	11	Jun 22

Analysts24M

• Michael AlbaneseSAH1

Recent actions

Stock	Rating action	Rating	Date
WPW. P. Carey Inc.WPC	Initiate	Buy	Sep 22
Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.SRPT	Reiterate	Sell	Sep 9
RRRed Rock Resorts, Inc.RRR	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 31
DIThe Walt Disney CompanyDIS	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 31
WEWestrock Coffee Company, LLCWEST	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 31
Popular, Inc.BPOP	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 31
MBMalibu Boats, Inc.MBUU	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 28
GEGenius Sports LimitedGENI	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 28
SRSportradar Group AGSRAD	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 28
BIBilibili Inc.BILI	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 28
FBFB	Reiterate	Hold	Aug 27
Quanex Building Products CorporationNX	Reiterate	Buy	Aug 27

Similar coverage12M

• Susquehanna78 shared
• Bernstein89 shared
• Stifel101 shared
• Needham88 shared
• Wells Fargo147 shared
• Bank of America Securities116 shared

References

1. StoneX Completes Acquisition of The Benchmark Companystonex.com
2. StoneX to Acquire The Benchmark Company, Adding Capabilities in Investment Bankingstonex.com
3. The Benchmark Company Achieves Significant Milestone of 20 Senior Analysts – Yahoo Financefinance.yahoo.com
4. StoneX Launches Financial Institutions Group (FIG) Research Practicestonex.com
5. Equity research – StoneXstonex.com
6. The Benchmark Company Morning Call with ratings definitions (October 2024) – Scribdscribd.com