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Are Computer and Technology Stocks Lagging Analog Devices (ADI) This Year?

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The Computer and Technology group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Analog Devices (ADI - 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? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Computer and Technology peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Analog Devices is a member of our Computer and Technology group, which includes 619 different companies and currently sits at #3 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 successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. Analog Devices is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADI's full-year earnings has moved 4.6% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Our latest available data shows that ADI has returned about 42.2% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Computer and Technology companies have returned an average of 13.9%. This shows that Analog Devices is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another stock in the Computer and Technology sector, ACI Worldwide (ACIW - Free Report) , has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 17.5%.

Over the past three months, ACI Worldwide's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4.5%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Analog Devices belongs to the Semiconductor - Analog and Mixed industry, a group that includes 9 individual stocks and currently sits at #18 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 33.5% so far this year, so ADI is performing better in this area.

ACI Worldwide, however, belongs to the Computer - Software industry. Currently, this 21-stock industry is ranked #55. The industry has moved -1.5% so far this year.

Going forward, investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should continue to pay close attention to Analog Devices and ACI Worldwide as they could maintain their solid performance.

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