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Is Safe Bulkers (SB) Outperforming Other Transportation Stocks This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Transportation stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Safe Bulkers (SB - 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.

Safe Bulkers is a member of our Transportation group, which includes 138 different companies and currently sits at #3 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.

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. Safe Bulkers is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SB's full-year earnings has moved 6.7% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

According to our latest data, SB has moved about 177.7% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Transportation companies have returned an average of 5.8%. This means that Safe Bulkers is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another Transportation stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Star Bulk Carriers (SBLK - Free Report) . The stock has returned 124.9% year-to-date.

In Star Bulk Carriers' case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 8.5% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Safe Bulkers is a member of the Transportation - Shipping industry, which includes 44 individual companies and currently sits at #92 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 52.4% this year, meaning that SB is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Star Bulk Carriers is also part of the same industry.

Safe Bulkers and Star Bulk Carriers could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Transportation stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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