< The 2015 All-Asia Research Team
Total appearances: 13
Team debut: 1994It’s three consecutive years at No. 2 on this list for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, whose 40-strong squad in Hong Kong is overseen by Angello Chan and Chi Hung (Raymond) Ngai. This year Chan, 50, also leads the crew that captures the No. 3 position on the Power roster; Ngai, 47, joins with Cheong-Ga (Karl) Choi in directing the second-place group on the Property lineup. Their Hong Kong team tracks some 200 companies, providing “timely and actionable ideas, particularly on A shares,” one local fund manager says. One name the researchers have been touting of late is Hongkong Land Holdings, which owns and manages office and luxury retail properties primarily in its home market and Singapore. In July they upgraded the stock from neutral to buy, thanks in large part to the company’s China development projects. At the end of last month, the Singapore-listed shares, which trade in U.S. dollars, were trading at $8.10, having jumped 20.4 percent while the broader Hong Kong market rose 8 percent. Owing to increased demand and positive retail rental trends, Hongkong Land remains a top BofA Merrill pick, with a price target of $8.65. “Their market-leading logic can really help investors outperform,” attests another client.
