Joseph Buckley
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
First-place appearances: 8

Total appearances: 15

Analyst debut: 1999

Joseph Buckley “has more experience than anyone in the group,” declares one supporter. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst marks his 15th consecutive year on the roster with a rise to third place from runner-up. In November, Buckley upgraded Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill from neutral to buy, reasoning that a low valuation on the still-attractive stock made it a great time to grab the name. “The company faces some challenges as it grows larger,” he acknowledged, but “it also has numerous appealing attributes, including brand differentiation, sales track record, unit expansion with improving returns and balance-sheet strength.” He reiterated the call in mid-July, when the shares already had jumped 42.1 percent, to $376.75. Through August they bolted 53.9 percent further, to $408.17, compared with the sector’s 15.6 percent rise. — Katie Gilbert