Fernando Ferreira, Robert Ford & team Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Repeating in second place is the five-strong Bank of America Merrill Lynch squad co-headed by Fernando Ferreira, who also pilots the No. 3 team in Agribusiness, and Robert Ford, who also leads a runner-up team in Retailing. The New York–based analysts track some 40 stocks with a “strong understanding of the key issues at each and every company,” according to one buy-side backer. Supporters single out a March upgrade of Brazil’s M. Dias Branco from underperform all the way to buy, at 48.07 reais, on the expectation of rapid synergies from its recent acquisitions of competitors NPAP Alimentos, Pelágio Oliveira and J. Brandão Comércio e Indústria. By mid-July shares of the cracker and pasta maker had jumped 22.3 percent, to 58.80 reais. — Ben Mattlin