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Has Bunge (BG) Outpaced Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is Bunge (BG - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Basic Materials sector should help us answer this question.

Bunge is one of 251 companies in the Basic Materials group. The Basic Materials group currently sits at #7 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.

The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Bunge is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BG's full-year earnings has moved 36.1% higher within the past quarter. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Based on the latest available data, BG has gained about 32.7% so far this year. In comparison, Basic Materials companies have returned an average of 8.3%. As we can see, Bunge is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another stock in the Basic Materials sector, CF Industries (CF - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 55.3%.

Over the past three months, CF Industries' consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 13.5%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Breaking things down more, Bunge is a member of the Agriculture - Products industry, which includes 7 individual companies and currently sits at #32 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 25.5% so far this year, so BG is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, CF Industries belongs to the Fertilizers industry. This 7-stock industry is currently ranked #7. The industry has moved +34.8% year to date.

Bunge and CF Industries could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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