Ni (Jenny) Zhen & team Citi
Rising from runner-up to third place is the Citi trio led solely this year by Ni (Jenny) Zhen, who also guides the No. 3 team in Industrials. The analysts, who work out of Hong Kong, report on 18 companies. Investors applaud the team’s September upgrade of Jiangsu Expressway Co. from hold to buy, at HK$5.30 — one day short of its 12-month low of HK$5.09 — as a defensive play, citing its low valuation and high dividend yield. Shares of the Nanjing, China–based highway builder and operator soared 41.7 percent, to HK$7.51, through March. The Citi analysts “understand the industry in depth, have good stock picks and reply instantly to requests,” sums up one grateful constituent. Among the team’s current favorites is Hong Kong–based Sany Heavy Equipment International Holdings Co., a maker of coal mining apparatus, largely on the strength of soaring demand for replacement gear and upgrades.
— Ben Mattlin