THIRD TEAM Wendy Nicholson  Citi

It’s three years in a row at No. 3 for Citi’s Wendy Nicholson, who displays an uncanny ability to “contextualize current news flow into longer-term trends,” in the words of one investor. Nicholson broke with the consensus in November by upgrading Colgate-Palmolive Co. from hold to buy, at $75.03, after the stock had experienced a year-to-date loss of 4.4 percent that trailed the sector by 8.3 percentage points. A series of meetings with management of the New York–based manufacturer of hygiene and personal care products convinced the analyst the stock was undervalued. By the end of August, it had risen 19.9 percent, to $89.97, and outdistanced the sector by 16.2 points.