The buy side says: “Andrew is by far the most thoughtful analyst in the space.”
Andrew Lazar captures the crown for an eighth consecutive year, thanks in part to consistently impressing investors with his detailed knowledge and broad view of the sector. The Barclays Capital analyst “is very good at taking a step back and looking at the big picture, trying to tie together threads across different companies,” explains one buy-side enthusiast. Lazar, 44, named Kraft Foods, the nation’s largest seller of beverages, confectionery and food, his top pick back in May 2009 and has highlighted the call repeatedly since, citing improving margins and robust earnings growth. Shares of the Northfield, Illinois–based concern rose 12.2 percent year-to-date through August, from $26.66 to $29.91. During the same period the sector advanced only 4.2 percent.
