< The 2014 All-India Research TeamJasdeep WaliaKotak SecuritiesFirst-place appearances: 0
Total appearances: 1
Analyst debut: 2014Newcomer Jasdeep Walia captures second-place honors. The Kotak Securities researcher monitors 11 Indian agricultural companies and plans to expand coverage in the year ahead. Among Walia’s favorites in the group is Rallis India, a Mumbai-based agrichemicals company that produces pesticides and fertilizers, as well as textiles and leather-tanning materials. He initiated coverage on the stock in April 2012 with a buy rating, at 126.20 rupees, citing rising demand and a relatively low degree of government control over the markets in which it operates. The shares soared 44.9 percent during the 12 months through late October, to Rs225, besting India’s broad market by 20.6 percentage points. Walia continues to endorse Rallis, citing innovative product launches that he predicts will further drive sales as well as the growing interest it is attracting from international clients that are “looking to diversify their supply sources away from China,” he explains. Going forward the analyst is also enthusiastic about Mumbai’s Tata Chemicals, thanks to the fertilizer and agrochemicals provider’s rebounding cash flows and stable profits. The stock was trading at Rs406 in late October, and he projects a rise to Rs450. “Jasdeep is a trusted source,” avers one asset manager in Hong Kong.