Ali Dibadj Sanford C. Bernstein
second team Lauren Lieberman Barclays
third team Wendy Nicholson Citi
Investors use words such as “approachable,” “responsive,” and “proactive” to describe Ali Dibadj of Sanford C. Bernstein, who vaults to first place after having debuted last year at No. 3. The 34-year-old analyst’s best calls of late include a January downgrade to market-perform on longtime favorite Procter & Gamble Co., at $58.09, on the belief that the Cincinnati-based manufacturer of personal care products would experience margin pressure from recent price cuts. P&G’s share price slumped 6.9 percent, to $54.11, through August; during the same period the sector was flat. Dibadj earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Harvard College in 1996 and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School in 2000; he worked at Mercer Management Consulting and at McKinsey & Co. before joining Bernstein in 2006.
After two years at No. 1, Lauren Lieberman slips to second place. “A relentless focus on company strategy and a tireless work ethic distinguish her work,” insists one supporter. In March the Barclays Capital analyst reiterated her long-standing buy recommendation on Avon Products, at $16.06, because of the New York–based cosmetics manufacturer’s improving earnings. The stock had soared 98.4 percent, to $31.87, by August 31.
Citi’s Wendy Nicholson, praised by one investor for her “truly global view on the sector,” drops a notch to third place. Over the past year Nicholson repeatedly highlighted her long-held neutral position on P&G, telling clients the company needs to reinvest more aggressively to build market share. For the 12 months through August, P&G’s stock trailed the sector by 4.4 percentage points.
Click here to see the All-America Research Team rankings.
