2015 All-Asia Research Team: Autos & Auto Parts, No. 3: Jatin Chawla, Bin Wang & team

<The 2015 All-Asia Research Team Jatin Chawla, Bin Wang & teamCredit SuisseFirst-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 2

Team debut: 2013

Credit Suisse returns to this roster in third place, the position it earned in 2013, when Henry Kwon led coverage. Kwon shifted to tracking South Korea’s capital goods names, and the firm fell from the ranking last year. Now Hong Kong–basedJatin Chawla, 34, andBin Wang, 36, run the show. Wang moved to Credit Suisse in February 2014 from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, whose crew he steered to No. 2 in 2013. Chawla signed on in August 2011 to cover Indian autos. He previously held the same role at India Infoline and worked in investment banking at IIFL and SBI Capital Markets. He earned an MBA in finance at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow. The ten researchers track 56 regional autos and auto parts companies. They have “the most complete auto database on the Street,” remarks one fund manager, who adds that their “monthly conference call helps us get firsthand information on market developments — a significant value to us.” Investors also hail this troupe for its dedicated client service and industry expertise. Chawla, Wang and their colleagues have a negative outlook on companies in China and are upbeat on those in India. Over the 12 months through April, these respective markets advanced 37.4 percent and 12.1 percent, while the regional sector fell 6.6 percent. In China they foresee a deceleration in annual auto sales growth from 6 percent this year to 4 percent in 2016, whereas in India they expect overall car demand to improve from 4 percent to 10 percent in the fiscal year ending in March 2016 and to 15 percent the following year. Additionally, the squad projects that Indonesia’s economy will recover this year, driving better margins for Astra International, the nation’s largest player in the space. Among the analysts’ favorite companies is Great Wall Motor Co., China’s dominant manufacturer of sport-utility vehicles. In October they raised their rating on the stock from neutral to outperform, forecasting a turnaround on the back of new and relaunched models. Good call. By the end of April, the shares had rocketed 90.8 percent, to HK$59.15, while the regional sector was nearly flat.