The Finance group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Has The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc (PNC) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Finance sector should help us answer this question.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc is one of 855 companies in the Finance group. The Finance group currently sits at #1 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.
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. The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PNC's full-year earnings has moved 3.6% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.
Based on the most recent data, PNC has returned 15.1% so far this year. At the same time, Finance stocks have gained an average of 2.3%. This means that The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.
Another Finance stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Associated Banc-Corp (ASB). The stock has returned 12.3% year-to-date.
Over the past three months, Associated Banc-Corp's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 3.1%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Breaking things down more, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc is a member of the Financial - Investment Bank industry, which includes 21 individual companies and currently sits at #46 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 1.2% so far this year, meaning that PNC is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.
Associated Banc-Corp, however, belongs to the Banks - Midwest industry. Currently, this 28-stock industry is ranked #44. The industry has moved +10.4% so far this year.
Investors with an interest in Finance stocks should continue to track The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc and Associated Banc-Corp. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc (PNC): Free Stock Analysis Report Associated Banc-Corp (ASB): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
Zacks Investment Research
