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Are Oils-Energy Stocks Lagging Marathon Petroleum (MPC) This Year?

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

Marathon Petroleum is one of 252 individual stocks in the Oils-Energy sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #11 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

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. Marathon Petroleum is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MPC's full-year earnings has moved 61.8% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the most recent data, MPC has returned 83.4% so far this year. At the same time, Oils-Energy stocks have gained an average of 24.4%. This means that Marathon Petroleum is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another stock in the Oils-Energy sector, PBF Energy (PBF - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 127.5%.

The consensus estimate for PBF Energy's current year EPS has increased 153.5% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, Marathon Petroleum belongs to the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry, a group that includes 16 individual companies and currently sits at #26 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 62% so far this year, so MPC is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns. PBF Energy is also part of the same industry.

Going forward, investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should continue to pay close attention to Marathon Petroleum and PBF Energy as they could maintain their solid performance.

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