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Is CMS Energy (CMS) Stock Outpacing Its Utilities Peers This Year?

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

CMS Energy is one of 107 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #3 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 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. CMS Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CMS' full-year earnings has moved 0.2% 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 CMS has returned about 7.7% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Utilities stocks have gained an average of 7.3%. This shows that CMS Energy is outperforming its peers so far this year.

ONE Gas (OGS - Free Report) is another Utilities stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 10.8%.

Over the past three months, ONE Gas' consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 0.9%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, CMS Energy is a member of the Utility - Electric Power industry, which includes 58 individual companies and currently sits at #83 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 7.8% so far this year, so CMS is slightly underperforming its industry in this area.

ONE Gas, however, belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry. Currently, this 14-stock industry is ranked #154. The industry has moved +5.6% so far this year.

CMS Energy and ONE Gas could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Utilities stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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