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Is Alcon (ALC) Stock Outpacing Its Medical Peers This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Medical stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Alcon (ALC - Free Report) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? 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.

Alcon is one of 1087 individual stocks in the Medical sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #2 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

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. Alcon is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ALC's full-year earnings has moved 4.3% higher within the past quarter. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

According to our latest data, ALC has moved about 6.3% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Medical stocks have lost an average of 9.9%. This shows that Alcon is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Medical stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. (ALPN - Free Report) . The stock has returned 66.3% year-to-date.

In Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc.'s case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 13.7% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Alcon belongs to the Medical - Instruments industry, a group that includes 94 individual companies and currently sits at #93 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 12.9% so far this year, so ALC is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. however, belongs to the Medical - Drugs industry. Currently, this 192-stock industry is ranked #78. The industry has moved -13.7% so far this year.

Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Alcon and Alpine Immune Sciences, Inc. as they attempt to continue their solid performance.


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