< The 2016 All-Asia Research Team
Praveen Choudhary, Simon Lee & team
Morgan Stanley
First-Place Appearances: 3
Total Appearances: 15
Team Debut: 1997
It’s three in a row at the top of this slate for Praveen Choudhary and Simon Lee’s Morgan Stanley crew in Hong Kong. Monitoring nearly 500 companies across Hong Kong and China, the team of some 50 researchers impresses investors with “informative field trips and quick responses to questions and requests for bespoke research,” one money manager remarks. The analysts’ current local favorites include industry leaders in financial services and real estate: Hang Seng Bank, partly on its well-capitalized balance sheet and dividend growth, and Sun Hung Kai Properties, owing to rising rental income and new property construction. From their late April trading levels through year-end, shares of the full-service lender could appreciate nearly 18.6 percent, to HK$167, they contend, while those of the developer could rise 44 percent, to HK$142. “I especially like the frequency and quality of their communications, which come in innovative formats and are packed with detailed indicators,” asserts another buy-side admirer. Lee, who also oversees the firm’s coverage of regional power stocks, leads his group to its fourth straight No. 2 showing on that roster. Choudhary also guides two teams that earn runner-up spots this year, on the Gaming & Lodging lineup and, with Chun Hung (John) Lam, on the Property list.