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Is Axis Capital Holdings (AXS) Outperforming 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 Axis Capital (AXS - 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.

Axis Capital is one of 872 companies in the Finance group. The Finance group currently sits at #16 within 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. Axis Capital is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AXS' full-year earnings has moved 2.8% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the most recent data, AXS has returned 1% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Finance group have lost about 1.1% on average. This means that Axis Capital is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another stock in the Finance sector, Crescent Capital BDC (CCAP - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 8.2%.

For Crescent Capital BDC, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 11% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Axis Capital belongs to the Insurance - Property and Casualty industry, a group that includes 42 individual companies and currently sits at #113 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 2.4% so far this year, meaning that AXS is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Crescent Capital BDC falls under the Financial - SBIC & Commercial Industry industry. Currently, this industry has 34 stocks and is ranked #63. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +3.2%.

Axis Capital and Crescent Capital BDC could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Finance stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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