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Are Utilities Stocks Lagging Consolidated Water (CWCO) This Year?

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Investors interested in Utilities stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Consolidated Water (CWCO - 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 Utilities peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Consolidated Water is a member of the Utilities sector. This group includes 105 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #3. 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 emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Consolidated Water is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CWCO's full-year earnings has moved 9% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

According to our latest data, CWCO has moved about 49.3% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, stocks in the Utilities group have lost about 14% on average. This means that Consolidated Water is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another Utilities stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Sempra (SRE - Free Report) . The stock has returned 6.4% year-to-date.

Over the past three months, Sempra's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 1.7%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Consolidated Water is a member of the Utility - Water Supply industry, which includes 12 individual companies and currently sits at #61 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 22.7% this year, meaning that CWCO is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Sempra, however, belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry. Currently, this 15-stock industry is ranked #34. The industry has moved -1% so far this year.

Consolidated Water and Sempra could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Utilities stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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