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Has Cincinnati Financial (CINF) Outpaced Other Finance Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Finance stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Cincinnati Financial (CINF - 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 Finance peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Cincinnati Financial is one of 894 individual stocks in the Finance sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #5 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 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. Cincinnati Financial is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CINF's full-year earnings has moved 9.5% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the latest available data, CINF has gained about 7.2% so far this year. At the same time, Finance stocks have lost an average of 9.5%. This means that Cincinnati Financial is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another Finance stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is The Hartford (HIG - Free Report) . The stock has returned 2.4% year-to-date.

For The Hartford, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 0.5% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Cincinnati Financial is a member of the Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, which includes 40 individual companies and currently sits at #70 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 6.1% so far this year, so CINF is performing better in this area.

On the other hand, The Hartford belongs to the Insurance - Multi line industry. This 34-stock industry is currently ranked #223. The industry has moved -1.5% year to date.

Going forward, investors interested in Finance stocks should continue to pay close attention to Cincinnati Financial and The Hartford as they could maintain their solid performance.


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The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (HIG) - free report >>

Cincinnati Financial Corporation (CINF) - free report >>

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