< The 2014 All-America Research Team

Total Appearances: 6

Analyst Debut: 2008For a third year running, Omar Saad seizes the top spot on this roster as well as a runner-up position for his coverage of the Retailing/Specialty Stores space. The 41-year-old ISI Group researcher believes that the apparel, footwear and luxury names he covers are set to be “among the best-performing sectors in all of consumer over the next three to five years,” thanks to their strength in branding, flexible business models, global reach, innovation and pricing power. These could be the companies that transcend the economic uncertainty in China and Europe, Saad adds. “We think the rise of e-commerce and social media combined with the globalization of consumerism is a more powerful dynamic [than the macro situation],” he notes, which “significantly helps the most innovative and powerful brand companies unlock their potential.” He has especially lofty predictions for Hong Kong’s Michael Kors Holdings, based on his belief that the market misunderstands this accessories, apparel and footwear retailer. The company is “at its core the first and only fast-fashion accessories company,” he declares, “much more similar to Zara than to Coach.” Frequent product refreshes help Michael Kors react to trends and encourage customers to buy immediately. Saad has favored the stock since its New York Stock Exchange initial public offering in December 2011, at $25. In January 2013 he shifted to a strong buy recommendation on the shares, and they have steadily risen. By the middle of last month, they had rocketed 48.7 percent since his upgrade, to $76.61, leading the sector by 17.6 percentage points. Saad’s thorough research illustrates a “great understanding of the industry,” says one portfolio manager.