< The 2014 All-America Research Team

Total Appearances: 4

Analyst Debut: 2011Ali Dibadj of Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. debuted on this lineup in 2011 as a runner-up. After a second year in that position, he climbed to No. 2, and this year he takes the last step up to first place. He also notches his sixth consecutive top finish in Cosmetics, Household & Personal Care Products. Dibadj, 39, earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Harvard University and a juris doctor degree from the same institution’s law school. He went on to work as a consultant at Mercer Management Consulting and McKinsey & Co. before joining Bernstein in 2006. Investors say that background shines through in his detailed research. “Ali does a lot of in-depth analysis of all the companies he follows,” one fund manager explains, including “sales, pricing and volume trends in all markets.” That examination leads Dibadj to believe that “the beverages sector could be at a turning point.” The industry is belatedly realizing that many markets, including North America, no longer offer significant expansion opportunity, he contends, which is leading companies to focus more on pricing and cost-cutting strategies. The researcher’s favorite name remains PepsiCo, the world’s second-largest food and beverages company, by revenue. Based in Purchase, New York, Pepsi has long earned a buy rating from Dibadj. In January he highlighted that position in a note that analyzed its snacks business and established that growth in the segment is sustainable. By the middle of September, the shares had risen to $91.20, gaining 12.5 percent and besting the sector by 2.3 percentage points.