China International Capital Corp. is No. 1 on the All-China Research Team, Institutional Investor's exclusive annual ranking of the nation's leading sell-side equity analysts, for a fourth consecutive year -- but its margin of victory is narrower than it's been since 2012.
Complete results can be found at www.institutionalinvestor.com/rankings.
CICC wins 18 total team positions, seven fewer than last year but three more than second-place Credit Suisse, which rises one rung after increasing its total by four.
Two firms share the third tier, with 13 positions apiece: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which slips from the No. 2 spot -- its total falls by one -- and Morgan Stanley, which bolts from fifth place after adding five positions. The latter's ascent bumps last year's No. 4 firm, UBS, down a notch even though its total increases by two, to 12.
A total of 101 individuals from 15 firms are cited on this year's rosters. To view the full rosters, visit http://www.institutionalinvestor.com/Research/6021/Overview.html.
Another 100 analysts and seven research providers met minimum-vote and other eligibility criteria but did not make the team, which is limited to the top three analysts in each sector, plus runners-up where applicable. Data regarding those analysts and firms are available from the Institutional Investor Research Group. For information please contact Alyssa Walker at 212-224-3677 orawalker@iiresearchgroup.com.
Nearly one quarter of the researchers who have been voted onto the team -- 25 out of 101 -- are appearing for the first time. This figure includes two individuals who debut atop their respective sectors. BofA Merrill's Yuanyuan (Tina) Long shoots straight into first place in Consumer/Nondiscretionary, while Hong Liang of CICC is No. 1 in Economics.
These fresh faces hail from 13 firms. Morgan Stanley is home to the highest number, with five, followed by UBS, with four.