Simon Lee & team
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley, whose six-member squad spent the past three years in the runner-up position, leaps to second place. The analysts work out of offices in Hong Kong, Melbourne, Mumbai, Seoul and Singapore, and follow 34 stocks under the guidance of team leader Simon Lee. “We maintain our bullish view on Hong Kong utilities, China power, and gas and wind utilities for the remainder of 2013,” he says. “For Hong Kong utilities, yield compression and acquisition growth will drive outperformance, despite the possible start of Hong Kong regulatory change consultations in the second half of the year.” In China power companies have bested the broad market by roughly 20 percent year-to-date through April, he adds, and should continue to do so as global spot coal prices remain weak because of oversupply. The gas and wind industries, meanwhile, will benefit from China’s structural energy shift away from coal, and “we expect more policy support from the new government in the second half,” Lee reports. “Simon and his team have deep and extensive knowledge of the power sector,” cheers one backer. “They are very responsive and diligent, and very helpful on idea generation.” — Pam Baker