Jonah Cheng, Nicolas Gaudois & team
UBS
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 15

Team debut: 2000

Capturing the No. 2 position for a fourth straight year is the UBS group of five researchers co-led by Taipei-based Jonah Cheng and Nicolas Gaudois, who works out of Hong Kong. “Their experience gives them a uniquely broad perspective on the space,” proclaims one portfolio manager, “with a strong understanding of cross-regional and cross-sector influences on the stocks.” With the maturing of the smartphone market, previously the main growth engine for the industry, the analysts are looking elsewhere for catalysts. One company they favor is Taiwan’s Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, which manufactures and markets integrated-circuit packages. A leader in the fast-growing System-in-Package module market, ASE could claim more business from Apple if the U.S. consumer electronics behemoth expands its use of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor in its next-generation iPhone and iPad devices, they believe. At the same time, the UBS troupe forecasts that the company will benefit as the Internet of Things concept — the idea that everyday devices can be fitted with sensors to collect data and allow Internet connectivity — takes hold. In the memory space, the researchers are positive overall, expecting the DRAM industry to be undersupplied at least into 2015 and the NAND flash memory market to maintain a more balanced supply-demand ratio. Accordingly, they are sticking with two long-preferred South Korean names, Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix, and also like Taiwan’s Inotera Memories. This year, Gaudois also co-captions third-place teams in two other Technology sectors: Hardware, with Arthur Hsieh; and IT Services & Software, with Diviya Nagarajan.