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Is ICF International (ICFI) Stock Outpacing Its Business Services Peers This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Business Services stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is ICF International (ICFI - 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 Business Services sector should help us answer this question.

ICF International is one of 316 individual stocks in the Business Services sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #4 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

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. ICF International is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ICFI's full-year earnings has moved 4.7% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Our latest available data shows that ICFI has returned about 14.5% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Business Services companies have returned an average of 4.5%. This means that ICF International is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Outbrain Inc. (OB - Free Report) is another Business Services stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 7.3%.

Over the past three months, Outbrain Inc.'s consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 275%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Looking more specifically, ICF International belongs to the Government Services industry, which includes 3 individual stocks and currently sits at #42 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 12.4% this year, meaning that ICFI is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Outbrain Inc. however, belongs to the Technology Services industry. Currently, this 171-stock industry is ranked #100. The industry has moved +8.9% so far this year.

ICF International and Outbrain Inc. could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Business Services stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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