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Is Comfort Systems USA (FIX) Stock Outpacing Its Construction Peers This Year?

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For those looking to find strong Construction stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Comfort Systems (FIX - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Construction sector should help us answer this question.

Comfort Systems is one of 88 individual stocks in the Construction sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #16 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 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. Comfort Systems is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FIX's full-year earnings has moved 18.6% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, FIX has moved about 110.8% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, the Construction sector has returned an average of 17% on a year-to-date basis. As we can see, Comfort Systems is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

One other Construction stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Sterling Infrastructure (STRL - Free Report) . The stock is up 181.5% year-to-date.

In Sterling Infrastructure's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 44.4% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Comfort Systems belongs to the Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry, a group that includes 7 individual companies and currently sits at #40 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 46.9% so far this year, meaning that FIX is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Sterling Infrastructure, however, belongs to the Engineering - R and D Services industry. Currently, this 22-stock industry is ranked #72. The industry has moved +39.9% so far this year.

Going forward, investors interested in Construction stocks should continue to pay close attention to Comfort Systems and Sterling Infrastructure as they could maintain their solid performance.

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