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Is ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (ACAD) Outperforming Other Medical Stocks This Year?

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Investors interested in Medical stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Acadia Pharmaceuticals (ACAD - 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? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Medical sector should help us answer this question.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals is one of 914 individual stocks in the Medical sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #6 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. Acadia Pharmaceuticals is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACAD's full-year earnings has moved 18.2% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Our latest available data shows that ACAD has returned about 6.5% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Medical group have gained about 1.1% on average. This shows that Acadia Pharmaceuticals is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX - Free Report) is another Medical stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 43.4%.

The consensus estimate for Amneal Pharmaceuticals' current year EPS has increased 2.2% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Acadia Pharmaceuticals belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes 439 individual stocks and currently sits at #109 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 3.9% this year, meaning that ACAD is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Amneal Pharmaceuticals falls under the Medical - Drugs industry. Currently, this industry has 136 stocks and is ranked #151. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved -3.1%.

Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Amneal Pharmaceuticals could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Medical stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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