< The 2014 All-America Research Team

Total Appearances: 4

Analyst Debut: 2011The “most experienced analyst in this sector,” as one advocate describes him, Citi’s Jim Suva, 43, remains buy-siders’ favorite U.S. technology supply chain researcher, extending his reign to four years. Overall, the researcher holds a cautious outlook on the group but favors nontraditional technology segments in the supply chain. He cites as examples “growth areas that include supplying to automotive or aerospace, as well as the Internet of Things, which includes the increase in fitness and health products.” The use of connectors and sensors in new consumer and industrial products has increased meaningfully, he notes, so companies with exposure to those technologies are well positioned to outperform. “Many people forget that wireless does not mean less connectors but more,” says Suva, who works out of San Francisco. “The reality is, the increased mobility and complexity of items results in more connectors and sensors — especially those inside the device that many do not [directly] see.” The analyst maintains a sector portfolio of 24 stocks, and among his favorites are connector company Amphenol Corp. of Wallingford, Connecticut; and global distributors Arrow Electronics, which is based in Englewood, Colorado, and Avnet, headquartered in Phoenix.