Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Are Finance Stocks Lagging Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) This Year?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Investors interested in Finance stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Ameris Bancorp (ABCB - Free Report) been one of those stocks this year? 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.

Ameris Bancorp is one of 837 companies in the Finance group. The Finance 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 emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Ameris Bancorp is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ABCB's full-year earnings has moved 3% higher within the past quarter. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Based on the most recent data, ABCB has returned 6.4% so far this year. In comparison, Finance companies have returned an average of -5.9%. This means that Ameris Bancorp is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another stock in the Finance sector, Allstate (ALL - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 0.1%.

Over the past three months, Allstate's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 8.9%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Looking more specifically, Ameris Bancorp belongs to the Banks - Southeast industry, which includes 53 individual stocks and currently sits at #60 in the Zacks Industry Rank.

On the other hand, Allstate belongs to the Insurance - Property and Casualty industry. This 40-stock industry is currently ranked #40.

Investors interested in the Finance sector may want to keep a close eye on Ameris Bancorp and Allstate as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)

Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.

Click Here, It's Really Free

Published in