Andrew Lazar  Barclays Capital The buy side says: “Andrew is the voice of the food industry.”

Andrew Lazar rules the roost for a ninth consecutive year. The 45-year-old ­Barclays Capital researcher “not only analyzes the companies but also guides them in his research to where they should go.” Case in point: In September 2010, Lazar published a report affirming Kraft Foods as his top pick and suggesting that the ­Northfield, ­Illinois–based packaged-­foods manufacturer could increase shareholder value by splitting its North American grocery business from its global snacks and confectionery unit to create separate publicly traded companies; in August, Kraft announced its intention to do just that. (It hopes to complete the restructuring by the end of next year.) At the end of August, the stock had advanced 17.3 percent, from $29.86 to $35.02, and was ahead of the sector by 5.7 percentage points, since the reiteration. Lazar “tends to write thoughtfully and is one of the better analysts at keeping the big picture in focus rather than just reporting details,” says one client.