Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Are Finance Stocks Lagging Ameriprise Financial (AMP) This Year?

Read MoreHide Full Article

For those looking to find strong Finance stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Ameriprise Financial Services (AMP - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? 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.

Ameriprise Financial Services is a member of our Finance group, which includes 856 different companies and currently sits at #7 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.

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. Ameriprise Financial Services is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMP's full-year earnings has moved 2.2% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Our latest available data shows that AMP has returned about 8.4% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Finance group have gained about 5.6% on average. This means that Ameriprise Financial Services is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Banco Bilbao (BBVA - Free Report) is another Finance stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 19.2%.

The consensus estimate for Banco Bilbao's current year EPS has increased 6.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Ameriprise Financial Services belongs to the Financial - Investment Management industry, a group that includes 39 individual companies and currently sits at #24 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 8.4% so far this year, so AMP is performing better in this area.

Banco Bilbao, however, belongs to the Banks - Foreign industry. Currently, this 69-stock industry is ranked #53. The industry has moved +2.4% so far this year.

Ameriprise Financial Services and Banco Bilbao could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Finance stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP) - free report >>

Banco Bilbao Viscaya Argentaria S.A. (BBVA) - free report >>

Published in