Financial Institutions

Matthew O’Connor of Deutsche Bank Securities marks his third straight appearance at No. 1, thanks in part to “good calls on regional banks early in the year - a very out-of-favor group at the time, but he was one of the few people who was pounding the table on them,” recalls one money manager.

After two years at No. 2, Kevin St. Pierre rises to the top.

Returning to the No. 1 position, after having spent last year in second place, is Charles (Brad) Hintz, 60. As one portfolio manager observes, “The brokerage industry has suffered from a lack of good and broad coverage compared with other parts of the financial services sector, and Brad Hintz has done a good job filling that void.

Bruce Harting, 52, finishes in first place for a sixth consecutive year.

Advancing to the winner’s circle for the first time is last year’s No. 2 analyst, Jay Gelb of Barclays Capital.

Jamminder (Jimmy) Bhullar moves up one notch to claim first-place honors for the first time. “Jimmy is very service-oriented and responsive to requests; plus, he really knows his companies well and, importantly, is focused on the key stock drivers,” proclaims one backer.

President Barack Obama is expected to announce on Thursday a “financial crisis responsibility fee.”

Federal Reserve wants to block a ruling that would make public the identities of financial institutions that would have failed without bailouts.

Dubbed “a good investor with excellent instincts” by one buy-side fan, Jay Cohen climbs a notch to claim the top spot for the first time since 2003.

It’s five firsts in a row for Bruce Harting. The 51-year-old Barclays Capital analyst is lauded for supplying “a lot more detailed information than his competitors.