Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is LSB (LXU) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.
LSB is one of 241 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #7 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. LSB is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for LXU's full-year earnings has moved 70.3% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.
According to our latest data, LXU has moved about 26.6% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Basic Materials stocks have gained an average of 25.5%. This means that LSB is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
Another Basic Materials stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. (MTA). The stock has returned 198% year-to-date.
In Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd.'s case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 100% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Looking more specifically, LSB belongs to the Chemical - Diversified industry, which includes 29 individual stocks and currently sits at #216 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 25.5% so far this year, so LXU is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.
On the other hand, Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. belongs to the Mining - Miscellaneous industry. This 69-stock industry is currently ranked #89. The industry has moved +29.4% year to date.
Investors interested in the Basic Materials sector may want to keep a close eye on LSB and Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. as they attempt to continue their solid performance.
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Lsb Industries Inc. (LXU): Free Stock Analysis Report Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. (MTA): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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