Hyung Jin (John) Kim & team
Deutsche Bank
First-place appearances: 0

Total appearances: 5

Team debut: 2004

Deutsche Bank’s Seoul-based troupe advances from runner-up to third place under the direction of Hyung Jin (John) Kim, who debuted in 2013 and helps deliver the firm’s best showing to date. Clients hail the nine researchers for an investor conference they hosted in Seoul in November, which “provided terrific access to corporate managements,” as one asset manager recalls. In addition, with some 85 South Korean names under coverage, as well as a few of their competitors and counterparts in neighboring countries, the analysts’ range is deemed “broad-based and comprehensive” by another backer. Looking ahead Kim and his crew are maintaining their positive stance on Seoul-based multinational nonlife insurer Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co. In February they advised that auto-premium rate hikes were contributing to a strong earnings turnaround for the nation’s largest property/casualty insurer, so they elevated Samsung Fire to their most-preferred list, on a dip to 230,000 South Korean won. Their price target for the stock is 310,000 won, a 28.4 percent premium to its late April value.