In 2011, BTG Pactual debuted on Institutional Investor’s inaugural Latin America Sales Team at No. 5. Last year the firm soared to second, and this year the São Paulo–based outfit claims the summit.
BTG Pactual is the only firm among the top five to have logged gains every year since this ranking was introduced.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch ranked third in 2011, tumbled to No. 5 last year but roars back to capture the second tier this year. Morgan Stanley, which fell from No. 2 in 2011 to No. 4 in 2012, climbs one notch to No. 3.
The leader of the inaugural team, Itaú BBA, plunged to sixth place last year but jumps to fourth this time around. J.P. Morgan vaulted from No. 7 in 2011 to No. 3 in 2012, but slips to No. 5 this year.
Last year’s winner, Credit Suisse, tumbles to sixth place. The Swiss bank ranked fourth in 2011.
II invited participants in the Latin America Research Team survey to name up to four firms that they feel have the best sales forces in the region. This year we received responses from roughly 600 investment professionals at 342 buy-side institutions that manage an estimated total of $352.7 billion in Latin American equities. Those figures represent approximately 79 percent of the people and 86 percent of the firms that participated in the broader research survey.