Robert Hopkins
Bank of America
Merrill Lynch
For a sixth consecutive year, Robert Hopkins claims second place. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch researcher “identifies the various areas of companies’ operations in the target price, so it is easy to access areas of strength and weakness in a company’s performance,” explains one buy-side enthusiast. Businesses face many challenges as customers move from volume-based to value-based incentives, Hopkins says. “This shift should put pressure on volumes and prices over time, and that concern has trading at its lowest relative multiple in years,” he adds. Current favorites among the 21 names he covers are Covidien, which is based in Dublin and has corporate headquarters in Mansfield, Massachusetts; St. Paul, Minnesota–based St. Jude Medical; and Baxter International of Deerfield, Illinois — all of which have underappreciated product pipelines, Hopkins maintains.