SECOND TEAM Joseph Buckley BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research
Joseph Buckley is “the first guy that restaurant companies call when they need the Wall Street perspective,” declares one fund manager. In mid-December the BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research analyst, who repeats in second place, dubbed McDonald’s Corp. one of his top picks for 2011. “The company is enjoying strong market share gains in the U.S. and around the world with great execution across all key parts of the business,” Buckley told clients. Subsequently, shares of the Oak Brook, Illinois–based fast-food restaurant chain rose 20.4 percent, from $75.12 to $90.41, and outperformed the sector by 14.8 percentage points, through August. Buckley’s clients are lovin’ it.