Bruce Flatt, chief executive officer of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

Shares of Brookfield Asset Management climbed 4 percent in midday trading on Thursday, after RBC Capital Markets upgraded the stock to "top pick" from "outperform" and reiterated its $41 price target.

RBC said that "strong execution" on a "well-articulated business plan" has driven growth in the company's intrinsic value per share. In the wake of the financial crisis, Brookfield has been "separating from the pack," RBC said.