Shinsuke Iwasa UBS

The buy side says: “He is excellent at analyzing stock prices and earnings.”
In first place for a fourth straight year (and for the fifth time in six years) is UBS analyst Shinsuke Iwasa, dubbed “the go-to guy on media companies” by one money manager. Iwasa covers 16 stocks, half in the broadcasting sector and half in consumer electronics. Known for focusing on advertising revenue and other cyclical industry trends, the 39-year-old is bullish on broadcasters despite signs of an impending reversal. “We estimate ad spending in Japan expanding from March 2012 to August 2012, then see a slowdown after September,” Iwasa says. Nonetheless, some companies should continue to do well, especially those that have improved operational efficiencies at subsidiaries, expanded via mergers and acquisitions, and controlled costs to sustain growth. His current top pick is Fuji Media Holdings, the Tokyo-­based operator of Fuji Television Network and other popular channels. — Pam Baker