Andrew Ripper & team, BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research

Andrew Ripper’s three-member BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research team repeats in second place. Portfolio managers hail the London-based analysts for their “broad perspective” and “wonderful ability to clearly and precisely explain the foundations and drivers of the industry and the historical context.” The team covers 27 names, and among the shares they currently recommend are U.K.-based testing company Intertek Group and Experian, a credit services provider headquartered in Ireland — both of which are “high-quality growth stocks,” Ripper says. “The cyclicals are beaten up but still vulnerable to major macro risks, and estimates need to come down further before they start performing — deciding when to switch into them is the key call to be made in 2012.”