Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Flexible Solutions International (FSI Quick QuoteFSI - 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? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of FSI and the rest of the Basic Materials group's stocks.

Flexible Solutions International is a member of the Basic Materials sector. This group includes 237 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #16. 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 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. FSI is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FSI's full-year earnings has moved 138.46% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Based on the latest available data, FSI has gained about 196.30% so far this year. In comparison, Basic Materials companies have returned an average of 10.48%. This means that Flexible Solutions International is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Breaking things down more, FSI is a member of the Chemical - Specialty industry, which includes 34 individual companies and currently sits at #66 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 19.84% so far this year, so FSI is performing better in this area.

Going forward, investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should continue to pay close attention to FSI as it looks to continue its solid performance.