Hitoshi Hayakawa Credit Suisse

Hitoshi Hayakawa, who takes second place for a second consecutive year, is “the opinion leader,” declares one fan. The Credit Suisse analyst covers 11 companies, the same number as last year. One portfolio manager says he is impressed with Hayakawa’s ability to let go of a recommendation when the time comes: “The last year was a tough one when Hayakawa’s perennial favorite stock, SoftBank Corp., got challenged by Apple’s multivendor strategy for its iPhone,” this client says. “Instead of marrying his stock, he kept writing very objective, professional assessments of the industry and the companies.” Hayakawa’s coverage of KDDI Corp. also earns plaudits. He upgraded the Tokyo-based mobile services operator’s shares from neutral to buy in February 2011, at ¥472,500, on the belief that management’s plan to restructure its business lines would boost profitability. In September, after the stock had bolted 21.5 percent, to ¥574,000, he lowered it back to neutral, primarily on valuation. By the end of February, the stock had dropped 10.1 percent, to ¥516,000.  — Pam Baker