Michael Weinstein  J.P. Morgan The buy side says: “He always gives you the straight scoop.”

Michael Weinstein, 41, lands on top for a fifth year running. The J.P. Morgan analyst reiterated his hold rating on Medtronic in May, at $42.05, citing deteriorating fundamentals and concerns that the Minneapolis-based cardiac-device maker would fall short of consensus earnings estimates for fourth-quarter 2011, which ended later that same month. He was right. Medtronic reported earnings-per-share of 72 cents for the quarter, far below the 93-cent EPS the Street was expecting. Shares slid to $35.07 in late August, for a loss of 16.6 percent that trailed the sector by 5.1 percentage points.