Total appearances: 3

Team debut: 2012 Antonio Junqueira of BTG Pactual “is the voice of reason in a complex sector,” observes one fund manager. The 31-year-old researcher, who works out of New York, repeats in first place on this roster, garnering additional investor praise for his “useful notes, such as those related to rationing and regulatory risks,” as another backer puts it, referring to a series of top-down reports in the first quarter of 2014. Junqueira monitors 16 Brazilian utilities and has long recommended that investors buy Equatorial Energia, thanks to the electricity distributor’s growing profits, improved network liability and expanding customer base, which is particularly important in a regulated sector, he notes. Over the 12 months through July, the Maranhão-based utility’s shares bolted 35.7 percent, to 25.30 reais, while the sector gained 3.1 percent. His current price target is 27 reais, but barring any unforeseen changes, “the stock could reach a value greater than my target,” Junqueira adds. Another preferred name is EDP – Energias do Brasil, a São Paulo–based power provider, which the analyst dubs a “solid company with very good assets and efficient distribution concessions.” His price objective of 15 reais implies a 41.5 percent upside to the stock’s trading value at the end of July.