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Melvyn Boey,
Billy Ng
& team
Bank of America
Merrill Lynch
"They think from an investor’s point of view and convey long-term implications rather than just short-term."
Rising one rung to lead the lineup for the first time is Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The five-member outfit is directed by Melvyn Boey, who works out of Singapore, and Hong Kong–based Billy Ng; their associates are stationed in Australia, the Philippines and South Korea. “They make detailed forecasts on the financial ratios of each gaming company, which helps me with stock-picking decisions,” asserts one money manager. Among the 25 stocks the team covers is longtime favorite Melco Crown Entertainment; the analysts have been recommending the Hong Kong–based casino operator’s stock since April 2011, largely on the strength of its project pipeline and exposure to Macau’s bustling Cotai Strip. The stock soared 52.5 percent in the 12 months through April 2013 and outpaced the sector by 41.3 percentage points. Boey, 40, earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting and finance from the London School of Economics and Political Science and followed this sector for J.P. Morgan before moving to Merrill Lynch in 2006; he also leads the teams that rank first and third, respectively, for coverage of Singapore and Malaysia. Ng, 38, holds an MBA from Yale School of Management in the U.S. and joined the firm in 2010 from J.P. Morgan, where he reported on the gaming industry; he also co-captains, with Cheong-Ga (Karl) Choi, the crew at No. 1 in Conglomerates. — Katie Gilbert