Deborah WeinswigCitiAfter eight years on top, Deborah Weinswig slips to second place, but investors maintain that the Citi analyst is “one of the only sell-siders who truly understands what the convergence of technology and the consumer means to her coverage universe,” as one money manager puts it. Weinswig, who is also a runner-up in Retailing/Food & Drug Chains, recommends choosing merchants that “help consumers save money on nondiscretionary purchases” and avoiding those that cater to higher-income shoppers. “We would warm back up to some of these high-end names if the European tourist were to return in full force and consumer confidence were to improve,” she adds. Weinswig dubbed Bentonville, Arkansas–based discount retailer Wal-Mart Stores her top pick in early August, reiterating the buy she first issued in March 2010. (The stock gained 43.4 percent from that call through August 2012.) The retail giant’s back-to-basics approach should drive clothing sales, she says, and its compare-the-receipt advertising campaign is resonating with consumers — all of which should boost the stock.