Felipe Hirai
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
First-place appearances: 3

Total appearances: 5

Team debut: 2009

After three years in first place, São Paulo–based Felipe Hirai falls to third; the Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst also ranks as runner-up in Equity Strategy. Hirai downgraded MMX Mineração e Metálicos from neutral to underperform in September, at 5.37 reais, predicting that declining iron-ore prices would tighten the Rio de Janeiro–based mining company’s financing options for new projects. The shares had plunged to 1.17 reais by mid-July, for a jaw-dropping 78.2 percent decline that lagged the sector by 49.6 percentage points. “He saw what was coming and made the right call,” cheers one asset manager in New York. — Ben Mattlin