Investors focused on the Basic Materials space have likely heard of Yamana Gold , but is the stock performing well in comparison to the rest of its sector peers? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of AUY and the rest of the Basic Materials group's stocks.

Yamana Gold is a member of the Basic Materials sector. This group includes 236 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #5. 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. AUY is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AUY's full-year earnings has moved 51.95% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the most recent data, AUY has returned 54.18% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Basic Materials group have gained about 4.32% on average. As we can see, Yamana Gold is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Looking more specifically, AUY belongs to the Mining - Gold industry, which includes 32 individual stocks and currently sits at #61 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 47.07% so far this year, meaning that AUY is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Investors with an interest in Basic Materials stocks should continue to track AUY. The stock will be looking to continue its solid performance.