The 5 best business leaders of 2014

In 2012 and 2013, Electronic Arts was named the “Worst Company in America” by Consumerist. Today, its stock price is up by 96%. “He started to focus on the gamers first, with more of a free-to-play model,” Finkelstein says, something rivals had done for a long time but that EA had avoided.

Martin “successfully brought Sovaldi [a Hepatitis C drug] to market and embraced a pricing strategy that delivered significant value to investors,” Finkelstein says. Yes, the drug cost $84,000 a dose, but Finkelstein makes the case that because it eradicates the disease, the cost is justifiable. “I think he has been a great CEO in an industry where there are not that many superstar companies this year,” he says.

After the largest IPO in history, which raised $25 billion in September, Alibaba’s stock price increased by an additional 12%. Finkelstein credits Ma with Alibaba’s 53.7% one-year revenue growth and 1000% mobile revenue growth. “Who’s done this?” Finkelstein asks, rhetorically.

Under Armour’s stock price rose 58%, after an incredible 80% gain last year. The company has now had four straight quarters of over 30% growth and 18 straight quarters of over 20% growth. “Nike,” says Finkelstein, “is on alert.” Plank, he adds, “is really an inspirational leader. He walks the talk and has a lot of authenticity.”

“He keeps racking it up,” says Finkelstein, referring to Tesla’s stock price, which has increased 38% year to date after rising 344% in 2013, and SpaceX’s ability to win big government contracts after a number of successful trips to space. What’s equally amazing, he says, is that Musk is running two companies simultaneously—something that would normally court disaster. “The most impressive thing for me,” says Finkelstein, “is [that] someone who was an entrepreneur built up a company and then continues to do well.”

More: Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year—The Top 50