Sara Delfim, Ronald Epstein & team Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Maintaining the No. 2 spot for a second year running is the Bank of America Merrill Lynch quartet co-led by São Paulo–based Sara Delfim, who also manages a runner-up team in Capital Goods, and New York–based Ronald Epstein. Hailed for “focusing on Brazil’s growing infrastructure spending,” as one money manager puts, the analysts cover an expansive roster of 25 stocks. They pounded the table on Mills Estruturas e Serviços de Engenharia in January, dubbing the stock one of their “best ideas” for the year. By mid-July shares of the specialty engineering services provider had rocketed 57.2 percent, from 17.69 reais to 27.80 reais, and the analysts continue to recommend it. — Ben Mattlin