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Are Consumer Staples Stocks Lagging Ambev (ABEV) This Year?

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Investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is Ambev (ABEV - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Consumer Staples peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Ambev is a member of our Consumer Staples group, which includes 183 different companies and currently sits at #14 in 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. Ambev is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ABEV's full-year earnings has moved 2.9% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Our latest available data shows that ABEV has returned about 37.8% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, the Consumer Staples sector has returned an average of -1.3% on a year-to-date basis. This means that Ambev is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another Consumer Staples stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Chefs' Warehouse (CHEF - Free Report) . The stock has returned 19.5% year-to-date.

Over the past three months, Chefs' Warehouse's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 8.6%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Ambev belongs to the Beverages - Alcohol industry, a group that includes 16 individual companies and currently sits at #170 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have lost about 1.9% so far this year, so ABEV is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Chefs' Warehouse belongs to the Food - Miscellaneous industry. This 42-stock industry is currently ranked #193. The industry has moved -14% year to date.

Ambev and Chefs' Warehouse could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Consumer Staples stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.


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The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (CHEF) - free report >>

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