Sanjay Singh
Standard Chartered Bank
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 2

Analyst debut: 2012

Standard Chartered Bank’s Sanjay Singh, who rises from runner-up to third place, “is one of the most pro-active analysts on the Street,” avers one loyalist. “He not only covers stocks comprehensively but also provides insightful research on myriad topics concerning the consumer industry at large.” Take his guidance on Hindustan Unilever, for example. In January 2011, Singh launched coverage of the household and personal care products manufacturer with a buy rating, noting that margins in its soap and detergents segment were hitting bottom and primed to go up. He stuck with that position throughout 2011 and well into the following October, capturing a 46.9 percent gain in the share price that bested the sector’s advance by 6.9 percentage points. At that point he shifted gears, downgrading the stock to neutral because he believed that the pressure on consumer demand would spell tough times for the Mumbai-based company. The shares subsequently rose 7.9 percent, to 603 rupees, through mid-October 2013, but lagged the sector by 8 percentage points. Singh also earns a runner-up spot in Consumer/Staples. — Katie Gilbert