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Are Business Services Stocks Lagging Healthcare Services Group (HCSG) This Year?

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

Healthcare Services is a member of our Business Services group, which includes 248 different companies and currently sits at #9 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

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. Healthcare Services is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for HCSG's full-year earnings has moved 12.9% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Our latest available data shows that HCSG has returned about 12.8% since the start of the calendar year. At the same time, Business Services stocks have lost an average of 12.6%. As we can see, Healthcare Services is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another Business Services stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (RCRUY - Free Report) . The stock has returned 101.4% year-to-date.

Over the past three months, Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.'s consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 35.8%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Healthcare Services belongs to the Business - Services industry, a group that includes 20 individual companies and currently sits at #162 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 18.8% so far this year, so HCSG is performing better in this area.

On the other hand, Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. belongs to the Business - Information Services industry. This 7-stock industry is currently ranked #77. The industry has moved -2.9% year to date.

Investors interested in the Business Services sector may want to keep a close eye on Healthcare Services and Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

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