Benjamin Fidler & team, Deutsche Bank

Down one notch to No. 2 is the Deutsche Bank duo led by Benjamin Fidler. “They have good macro knowledge, react promptly to customer demands and aren’t afraid to take a stand,” asserts one ally. In December 2010 the London-based analysts upgraded Safran from hold to buy, at €25.54, on its thriving aftermarket business for commercial aircraft. This proved premature, as the stock sank as low as €22.45 in April, but it had bounced to €28.26 by mid-July, when the researchers slashed it to hold, largely on valuation. By the end of the year, shares of the French defense electronics and aircraft-parts supplier had tumbled to €23.20.