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Is Ecopetrol (EC) Outperforming Other Oils-Energy Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is Ecopetrol (EC - 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 Oils-Energy sector should help us answer this question.

Ecopetrol is one of 250 individual stocks in the Oils-Energy sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #15 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 successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. Ecopetrol is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EC's full-year earnings has moved 11.4% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Based on the most recent data, EC has returned 1.2% so far this year. At the same time, Oils-Energy stocks have lost an average of 1.7%. This means that Ecopetrol is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another stock in the Oils-Energy sector, Evolution Petroleum (EPM - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 6.2%.

The consensus estimate for Evolution Petroleum's current year EPS has increased 8.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Breaking things down more, Ecopetrol is a member of the Oil and Gas - Integrated - Emerging Markets industry, which includes 2 individual companies and currently sits at #5 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 28.3% this year, meaning that EC is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Evolution Petroleum falls under the Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry. Currently, this industry has 41 stocks and is ranked #225. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved -4.3%.

Investors interested in the Oils-Energy sector may want to keep a close eye on Ecopetrol and Evolution Petroleum as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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