Joseph Buckley BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research
Although he drops one notch to second place, Joseph Buckley of BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research maintains a loyal following, in part because “he’s not afraid to ask tough questions, and he will insist on getting answers,” according to one client. Buckley upgraded Cracker Barrel Old Country Store from underperform to buy in September 2009, at $29.28, citing the Lebanon, Tennessee–based restaurant-and-gift-shop operator’s better-than-expected performance in fiscal 2009, which ended July 31. The stock had surged 52.4 percent, to $44.61, by the end of August. During the same period the sector gained 26.4 percent.
