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Is Grand Canyon Education (LOPE) Outperforming Other Consumer Discretionary Stocks This Year?

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The Consumer Discretionary group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - 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 Consumer Discretionary sector should help us answer this question.

Grand Canyon Education is one of 285 individual stocks in the Consumer Discretionary sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #11 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 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. Grand Canyon Education is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LOPE's full-year earnings has moved 0.5% higher within the past quarter. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Based on the latest available data, LOPE has gained about 18% so far this year. In comparison, Consumer Discretionary companies have returned an average of -35.9%. This means that Grand Canyon Education is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another stock in the Consumer Discretionary sector, Oxford Industries (OXM - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 1.1%.

The consensus estimate for Oxford Industries' current year EPS has increased 6.2% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Grand Canyon Education belongs to the Schools industry, a group that includes 18 individual companies and currently sits at #84 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 4% this year, meaning that LOPE is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Oxford Industries, however, belongs to the Textile - Apparel industry. Currently, this 20-stock industry is ranked #94. The industry has moved -35.4% so far this year.

Going forward, investors interested in Consumer Discretionary stocks should continue to pay close attention to Grand Canyon Education and Oxford Industries as they could maintain their solid performance.

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