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Is Axalta Coating Systems (AXTA) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Basic Materials stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Axalta Coating Systems (AXTA - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.

Axalta Coating Systems is one of 236 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #15 in 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 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. Axalta Coating Systems is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXTA's full-year earnings has moved 3.7% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, AXTA has moved about 1.9% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Basic Materials stocks have lost an average of 7.6%. As we can see, Axalta Coating Systems is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

One other Basic Materials stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Blachem (BCPC - Free Report) . The stock is up 12.4% year-to-date.

The consensus estimate for Blachem's current year EPS has increased 2.7% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Breaking things down more, Axalta Coating Systems is a member of the Chemical - Specialty industry, which includes 33 individual companies and currently sits at #200 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 18.5% this year, meaning that AXTA is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Blachem is also part of the same industry.

Axalta Coating Systems and Blachem could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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