Robert Hopkins BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research
In second place for a fourth consecutive year, Robert Hopkins of BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research continues to go “above and beyond to find viable trades,” asserts one buy-side backer. One example: In the crowded cardiovascular device group, Hopkins issued a buy rating on AGA Medical Holdings, in November, after excitement over the company’s initial public offering the previous month was beginning to wane. Hopkins liked the Plymouth, Minnesota–based outfit’s growth prospects. The stock had risen 10.7 percent, from $12.33 to $13.65, by the end of August.