Yasuhito Tsuchiya Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Repeating at second is Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s Yasuhito Tsuchiya. “He always manages to tailor our discussions to my needs and interests, which can’t be easy to do,” affirms one fan. In November, Tsuchiya dubbed East Japan Railway Co. his top pick on the expectation that earnings would improve on increasing postearthquake passenger flows into Tokyo. Through February shares of the passenger-train operator, which is headquartered in Tokyo, jumped from ¥4,635 to ¥5,210 — a 12.4 percent gain that was roughly in line with the sector’s advance over the period. — Ben Mattlin