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Is Arkema SA (ARKAY) Stock Outpacing Its Basic Materials Peers 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. Has Arkema SA (ARKAY - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Basic Materials peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Arkema SA is one of 243 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #4 in the Zacks Sector Rank. 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 model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Arkema SA is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARKAY's full-year earnings has moved 3.8% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, ARKAY has moved about 4.7% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Basic Materials companies have returned an average of 4.2%. This means that Arkema SA is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another Basic Materials stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Gerdau (GGB - Free Report) . The stock has returned 8.9% year-to-date.

The consensus estimate for Gerdau's current year EPS has increased 14% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Arkema SA belongs to the Chemical - Diversified industry, a group that includes 40 individual stocks and currently sits at #94 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 1.1% so far this year, so ARKAY is performing better in this area.

Gerdau, however, belongs to the Steel - Producers industry. Currently, this 23-stock industry is ranked #46. The industry has moved +3% so far this year.

Investors interested in the Basic Materials sector may want to keep a close eye on Arkema SA and Gerdau as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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