Kazim Andaç & team
Deutsche Bank
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 4

Team debut: 2011

Kazim Andaç and his Deutsche Bank team in Istanbul capture the No. 2 spot for a fourth year running, thanks in part to their keen market intelligence. These strategists “can tell you why a stock is going up or down,” avers one backer. “They’re always on top of news flows and know what the big fund managers are thinking. They’re not only good at sector calls but are influential — their views carry weight in the markets.” Among the group’s currently preferred names is Eregli Demir ve Çelik Fabrikaları, better known as Erdemir, which Andaç and his colleagues upgraded in early March from hold to buy. Amid the gradual economic recovery in both Turkey and the European market, they contend, the global steelmaker is well positioned to benefit from low raw-materials costs, the weaker Turkish lira, and its strong market position and pricing power. This is a recipe for strong earnings performance through year’s end, Andaç believes, as well as “higher-quality free cash flow and sustained dividends.” Sure enough, by the end of May, Erdemir’s shares has jumped 32.2 percent, to 3.12 lira, besting its Turkish peers by 5.2 percentage points and the broader market by 26.2 percentage points. Another top pick is Türkiye Halk Bankası, a state-owned lender that specializes in providing loans to small and midsize enterprises. That niche, says the crew chief — who specializes in banking-sector coverage — produces superior returns that allow Halkbank to deliver above-average margins. Moreover, he notes, the financial institution brandishes a “liquid, well-capitalized balance sheet,” and its retail operations face less scrutiny from regulators than competitors’. At 17.40 lira, his team’s target represents a 6.7 percent premium to the stock’s price in late May.