Yahoo Finance Are Medical Stocks Lagging Alcon (ALC) This Year?
For those looking to find strong Medical stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Alcon (ALC) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
Alcon is a member of our Medical group, which includes 1142 different companies and currently sits at #6 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.
The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Alcon is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALC's full-year earnings has moved 1.9% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.
Based on the most recent data, ALC has returned 16.4% so far this year. At the same time, Medical stocks have lost an average of 2.7%. This shows that Alcon is outperforming its peers so far this year.
Another Medical stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (BIOVF). The stock has returned 0.5% year-to-date.
For Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 10.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Looking more specifically, Alcon belongs to the Medical - Instruments industry, a group that includes 94 individual stocks and currently sits at #114 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 6.3% so far this year, meaning that ALC is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.
On the other hand, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. This 550-stock industry is currently ranked #109. The industry has moved -6.5% year to date.
Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Alcon and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
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Alcon (ALC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (BIOVF) : Free Stock Analysis Report
