The 2014 All-Russia Research Team: Consumer, No. 2: Mikhail Krasnoperov

Down one notch on this list to second place is Sberbank CIB’s Mikhail Krasnoperov. Reporting on ten Russian consumer stocks, the analyst earns high marks for providing frequent surveys of retailers and consumers. “He does grassroots research, so he really knows the pulse of the industry,” attests one fund manager. For example, this proprietary work indicated in August that shopping was on the rise despite price increases, leading to gross margin improvements among major retailers, Krasnoperov advises. In addition, in December he reiterated his buy rating on X5 Retail Group, largely thanks to the customer loyalty this Moscow-based food retailer enjoys. Through May, its global depositary receipts surged 23.9 percent, to $20.20, while Russian consumer names broadly slumped 9.3 percent. X5, the country’s second-biggest retailer, by sales, is still among the analyst’s favorites. “We remain positive on the retail sector,” says Krasnoperov. “The largest players are poised to see better availability of locations and higher customer traffic for existing stores.”