Felipe Leal & team  BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research

Down one notch to third place is the BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research duo directed by Felipe Leal, who wins praise from investors for his “deep industry knowledge” and “great accessibility.” They also continue to applaud the team’s long-standing bullish stance on Tractebel Energia, Brazil’s largest private electricity producer.

The researchers, who are stationed in São Paulo, first recommended the stock way back in May 2008 and highlighted it repeatedly since, on the strength of its robust free cash flow and promising growth prospects. In the 12 months through July, the stock shot up an eye-popping 121.6 percent, from R10.31 to R22.85.