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Has Clean Harbors (CLH) Outpaced Other Business Services Stocks This Year?

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The Business Services group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Clean Harbors (CLH - 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? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.

Clean Harbors is one of 318 individual stocks in the Business Services sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #7 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 emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Clean Harbors is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CLH's full-year earnings has moved 3.6% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the most recent data, CLH has returned 39.2% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Business Services sector has returned an average of 6.9% on a year-to-date basis. This means that Clean Harbors is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another Business Services stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Jacobs Solutions (J - Free Report) . The stock has returned 10.6% year-to-date.

The consensus estimate for Jacobs Solutions' current year EPS has increased 0.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Clean Harbors belongs to the Waste Removal Services industry, a group that includes 16 individual stocks and currently sits at #67 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 4.7% this year, meaning that CLH is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Jacobs Solutions belongs to the Technology Services industry. This 178-stock industry is currently ranked #88. The industry has moved +23.9% year to date.

Investors with an interest in Business Services stocks should continue to track Clean Harbors and Jacobs Solutions. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.


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