Sara Delfim,
Ronald Epstein
& team
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
First-place appearances: 1

Total appearances: 8

Team debut: 2005

Holding steady in second place for a third year running is Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The quartet is jointly conducted by Sara Delfim, who is headquartered in São Paulo, and New York–based Ronald Epstein. Delfim also co-leads, with Murilo Freiberger, a runner-up team in Capital Goods. New York Stock Exchange–listed Copa Holdings is the current favorite among the 20 stocks the analysts cover. They dubbed the Panama-based airline operator their top pick in January, at $109.26, citing the outfit’s high profits, strong balance sheet and steady dividend flow. The stock soared 23.3 percent, to $134.67, and flew past the sector by 41.9 percentage points, through mid-July. The researchers continue to recommend it. “Ron and Sara know everything about the technical specifications of the airline industry,” applauds one backer. — Ben Mattlin