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Is GSK PLC Sponsored ADR (GSK) Stock Outpacing Its Medical Peers This Year?

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The Medical group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is GSK (GSK - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Medical peers, we might be able to answer that question.

GSK is one of 1138 companies in the Medical group. The Medical group currently sits at #6 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 model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. GSK is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for GSK's full-year earnings has moved 3% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Our latest available data shows that GSK has returned about 3.5% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Medical stocks have lost an average of 1.7%. This shows that GSK is outperforming its peers so far this year.

One other Medical stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND - Free Report) . The stock is up 9.4% year-to-date.

For Ligand Pharmaceuticals, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 78.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Looking more specifically, GSK belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes 548 individual stocks and currently sits at #108 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 7.7% so far this year, so GSK is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns. Ligand Pharmaceuticals is also part of the same industry.

GSK and Ligand Pharmaceuticals could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Medical stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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