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Daniel Heyler,
Dong-Je (Simon) Woo & team
Bank of America
Merrill Lynch
"They do a great job of using industry data to provide a disciplined, systematic analysis."
For a third consecutive year, Bank of America Merrill Lynch is No. 1. The team, co-captained by Hong Kong–based Daniel Heyler and Seoul-based Dong-Je (Simon) Woo, covers some 25 stocks and plans to increase that number this year. Heyler, 48, and Woo, 45, “can master both company fundamentals and industry trends well,” according to one buy-side supporter. The analysts turned positive on semiconductor stocks in October and remain upbeat about the sector’s prospects. “The year started off with conservative ordering, tight inventory and modest capacity growth,” Heyler explains. “This positions the second half of 2013 and 2014 for better earnings growth.” The memory segment, which Woo covers, has enjoyed better pricing, industry consolidation and new chip demand in China from local original equipment manufacturers. Stocks the group favors include Taiwan’s MediaTek, Novatek Microelectronics Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., all of which are leveraged to smartphones, liquid crystal display chips and 28 nanometer process technology. — Carolyn Koo