CIBC World Markets has added Perry Caicco, one of Canada’s top merchandising stock analysts, to its equities research group.

Caicco joins CIBC World Markets after five years as a consumer products and merchandising analyst, initially with First Marathon Securities and then with National Bank Financial after it acquired First Marathon. Prior to that he spent a number of years in merchandising as vice president of marketing with Loblaw Companies Ltd. and CEO of Consumers Packaging Inc.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to improve our product for our clients,” said Peter Dawkins, managing director of Institutional Equity Research, Canada. “Perry is very good at what he does and an excellent addition to our team.”

The firm also announced that Kathleen Wong, a research associate, would be joining the merchandising research staff with Caicco. Wong has worked with Caicco as an associate analyst since 1999, and entered the securities business after four years as a consumer products analyst at Ontario Teachers Pension Plan.

Caicco is an award-winning analyst in the consumer products and the merchandising sectors. Merchandising includes specialty stores, drug stores, department stores and wholesale distributors. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Toronto and a MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

“The hiring of Caicco is a key part of a systematic three-pronged approach for creating one of the top equity research teams in Canada,” said Dawkins.