Haim Israel, Stephen Pettyfer & team
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 4

Team debut: 2011

Bank of America Merrill Lynch extends its streak of second-place finishes to a fourth year. Co-led by Haim Israel, who works out of Tel Aviv, and Dubai-based Stephen Pettyfer, the analysts cover 15 regional telecommunications companies, combining “a strong quantitative framework with good information about the incentives and motivations of company managements and regulatory bodies,” as one fan remarks. For their part, the researchers advise that “the telecom sector is facing several challenges,” says Israel. “Data, we believe, is the main game changer. The migration to [long-term evolution] imposes a technological challenge and should increase capital expenditures on one hand, while providing the opportunity for greater revenue growth on the other hand.” In January 2013 the researchers launched coverage of MegaFon, the second-largest telecoms operator in Russia, with a buy rating, citing its exposure to both the nascent data market and rapidly expanding middle class in that market. By the end of May 2014, the GDRs had advanced 24.6 percent, to $30.03, outperforming the sector by 13.3 percentage points. This year, Israel also leads the No. 2 troupe in Information Technology & Media; and Pettyfer also co-captains, with Michael Harris, the top-ranked squad in Middle East & North Africa Equity Strategy.