SECOND TEAM John McDonald  Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.

Clients say John McDonald, who repeats in second place, is “thoughtful” and “on top of things,” and his models are “detailed but not too complicated.” In addition, the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst “runs management meetings with the right balance of asking smart questions and allowing ample time for investors to ask their own,” explains one money manager. McDonald’s stock picking earns mixed reviews, however. He upgraded Citigroup from market perform to outperform in April, at a split-adjusted $44.68, on the New York–based banking behemoth’s improving credit quality and excess cash reserves. The stock had fallen to $31.05 by the end of August, losing 30.5 percent at a time when the sector declined by 18.2 percent. Even so, McDonald’s analysis “set the stage for a deeper, long-term understanding,” asserts one buy-side backer.