Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is Sociedad Quimica y Minera (SQM) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

Read MoreHide Full Article

The Basic Materials group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is SQM (SQM - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Basic Materials sector should help us answer this question.

SQM is a member of our Basic Materials group, which includes 241 different companies and currently sits 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 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. SQM is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SQM's full-year earnings has moved 71.4% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

According to our latest data, SQM has moved about 75.3% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Basic Materials companies have returned an average of -6.6%. As we can see, SQM is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

One other Basic Materials stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Alpha Metallurgical (AMR - Free Report) . The stock is up 139.1% year-to-date.

For Alpha Metallurgical, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 20.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, SQM belongs to the Fertilizers industry, which includes 7 individual stocks and currently sits at #32 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 22.4% so far this year, so SQM is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Alpha Metallurgical falls under the Mining - Miscellaneous industry. Currently, this industry has 49 stocks and is ranked #103. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +2.7%.

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


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Inc. (AMR) - free report >>

Sociedad Quimica y Minera S.A. (SQM) - free report >>

Published in