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Is Alcon (ALC) Stock Outpacing Its Medical Peers 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 Alcon (ALC - 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.

Alcon is one of 1144 companies in the Medical group. The Medical group currently sits at #5 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 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. Alcon is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALC's full-year earnings has moved 1.6% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the latest available data, ALC has gained about 15.3% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Medical group have lost about 4.5% on average. This means that Alcon is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (BIOVF - Free Report) is another Medical stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 6%.

In Swedish Orphan Biovitrum's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 10.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Alcon belongs to the Medical - Instruments industry, a group that includes 94 individual companies and currently sits at #115 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 1.1% so far this year, meaning that ALC is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, however, belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. Currently, this 552-stock industry is ranked #105. The industry has moved -8.6% so far this year.

Investors with an interest in Medical stocks should continue to track Alcon and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.


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