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Are Medical Stocks Lagging IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX) This Year?

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Investors interested in Medical stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is Idexx Laboratories (IDXX - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Medical peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Idexx Laboratories is one of 1174 companies in the Medical group. The Medical group currently sits at #5 within 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 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. Idexx Laboratories is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for IDXX's full-year earnings has moved 2.1% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Our latest available data shows that IDXX has returned about 16.8% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Medical stocks have lost an average of 3%. This shows that Idexx Laboratories is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Medical stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Aeterna Zentaris . The stock has returned 6.9% year-to-date.

In Aeterna Zentaris' case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 10.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Idexx Laboratories belongs to the Medical - Instruments industry, which includes 98 individual stocks and currently sits at #85 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 0.7% this year, meaning that IDXX is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Aeterna Zentaris belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. This 557-stock industry is currently ranked #91. The industry has moved -3.1% year to date.

Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Idexx Laboratories and Aeterna Zentaris as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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