Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Cross Country Healthcare (CCRN) Stock Outpacing Its Business Services Peers This Year?

Read MoreHide Full Article

For those looking to find strong Business Services stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Cross Country Healthcare (CCRN - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Business Services peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Cross Country Healthcare is one of 277 individual stocks in the Business Services sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #7 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

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. Cross Country Healthcare is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CCRN's full-year earnings has moved 73.3% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Our latest available data shows that CCRN has returned about 235.1% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Business Services companies have returned an average of -23.9%. As we can see, Cross Country Healthcare is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another stock in the Business Services sector, CRA International (CRAI - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 87.4%.

In CRA International's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 7.7% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Cross Country Healthcare is a member of the Staffing Firms industry, which includes 16 individual companies and currently sits at #16 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 48.7% this year, meaning that CCRN is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, CRA International falls under the Consulting Services industry. Currently, this industry has 15 stocks and is ranked #11. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +60.5%.

Investors interested in the Business Services sector may want to keep a close eye on Cross Country Healthcare and CRA International as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Charles River Associates (CRAI) - free report >>

Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (CCRN) - free report >>

Published in