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Is Gilead Sciences (GILD) Outperforming Other Medical Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Medical stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Gilead Sciences (GILD - 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 Medical sector should help us answer this question.

Gilead Sciences is a member of our Medical group, which includes 1187 different companies and currently sits at #2 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 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. Gilead Sciences is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for GILD's full-year earnings has moved 7.1% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Based on the most recent data, GILD has returned 14.1% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Medical group have lost about 17.5% on average. This means that Gilead Sciences is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. is another Medical stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 2.1%.

Over the past three months, CymaBay Therapeutics Inc.'s consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 3.4%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Gilead Sciences is a member of the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes 562 individual companies and currently sits at #59 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 17.9% so far this year, so GILD is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. falls under the Medical - Generic Drugs industry. Currently, this industry has 17 stocks and is ranked #57. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved -28.6%.

Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Gilead Sciences and CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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