Wee Lee Chong, Chin Seng Tay & team
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
First-place appearances: 3

Total appearances: 14

Team debut: 1994

After two years in first place, Bank of America Merrill Lynch slips to No. 2. This squad has been steered by newcomers Wee Lee Chong and Chin Seng Tay since the departure of Melvyn Boey, who had led the team since 2011 and jumped to Nomura in October. Based in Singapore, with a coverage universe of 45 local companies, the ten analysts are judged “hardworking and humble at the same time,” in the words of one portfolio manager. Clients laud the group for its coverage of long-term favorite SapuraKencana Petroleum, a Malaysia-based oil and gas services provider that maintains significant operations in Singapore. In January 2013 management announced the company’s acquisition of Bermuda-based rival Seadrill’s tender-rig division. That deal, the researchers noted, combined with the rise in orders that SapuraKencana was enjoying, would be a boon to profit-growth visibility, so they again urged investors to buy the shares. By late April they had surged 38.1 percent, to 4.28 ringgit, while Singapore’s broad market was up just 1.2 percent. The team is sticking with its recommendation, assigning a price target of 5.16 ringgit.