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Are Utilities Stocks Lagging Atmos Energy (ATO) This Year?
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For those looking to find strong Utilities stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Atmos Energy (ATO - 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? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Utilities sector should help us answer this question.
Atmos Energy is one of 105 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #2 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 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. Atmos Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ATO's full-year earnings has moved 2.7% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.
Our latest available data shows that ATO has returned about 12.2% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Utilities stocks have gained an average of 10%. As we can see, Atmos Energy is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.
One other Utilities stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is PPL (PPL - Free Report) . The stock is up 11.9% year-to-date.
The consensus estimate for PPL's current year EPS has increased 0.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
To break things down more, Atmos Energy belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry, a group that includes 14 individual companies and currently sits at #52 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 10.3% so far this year, so ATO is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.
On the other hand, PPL belongs to the Utility - Electric Power industry. This 59-stock industry is currently ranked #63. The industry has moved +13.3% year to date.
Going forward, investors interested in Utilities stocks should continue to pay close attention to Atmos Energy and PPL as they could maintain their solid performance.
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Are Utilities Stocks Lagging Atmos Energy (ATO) This Year?
For those looking to find strong Utilities stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Atmos Energy (ATO - 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? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Utilities sector should help us answer this question.
Atmos Energy is one of 105 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #2 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 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. Atmos Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ATO's full-year earnings has moved 2.7% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.
Our latest available data shows that ATO has returned about 12.2% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Utilities stocks have gained an average of 10%. As we can see, Atmos Energy is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.
One other Utilities stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is PPL (PPL - Free Report) . The stock is up 11.9% year-to-date.
The consensus estimate for PPL's current year EPS has increased 0.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
To break things down more, Atmos Energy belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry, a group that includes 14 individual companies and currently sits at #52 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 10.3% so far this year, so ATO is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.
On the other hand, PPL belongs to the Utility - Electric Power industry. This 59-stock industry is currently ranked #63. The industry has moved +13.3% year to date.
Going forward, investors interested in Utilities stocks should continue to pay close attention to Atmos Energy and PPL as they could maintain their solid performance.