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Is CalMaine Foods (CALM) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Cal-Maine Foods (CALM - 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 Basic Materials peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Cal-Maine Foods is one of 240 companies in the Basic Materials group. The Basic Materials group currently sits at #4 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 successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. Cal-Maine Foods is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CALM's full-year earnings has moved 38.2% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Our latest available data shows that CALM has returned about 1.3% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Basic Materials companies have returned an average of -0.3%. This means that Cal-Maine Foods is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Gold Fields (GFI - Free Report) is another Basic Materials stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 13.8%.

For Gold Fields, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 33.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Breaking things down more, Cal-Maine Foods is a member of the Agriculture - Products industry, which includes 7 individual companies and currently sits at #68 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 0.4% so far this year, so CALM is performing better in this area.

In contrast, Gold Fields falls under the Mining - Gold industry. Currently, this industry has 39 stocks and is ranked #39. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +13.8%.

Going forward, investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to Cal-Maine Foods and Gold Fields as they could maintain their solid performance.


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