Has BP P.l.c. (BP) Outpaced Other Oils-Energy Stocks This Year?

The Oils-Energy group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. BP p.l.c. (LON:BP) 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 BP and the rest of the Oils-Energy group's stocks.

BP p.l.c. is one of 333 companies in the Oils-Energy group. The Oils-Energy group currently sits at #3 within 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 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. BP is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for BP's full-year earnings has moved 16.08% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the most recent data, BP has returned 12.04% so far this year. In comparison, Oils-Energy companies have returned an average of 10.88%. This means that BP p.l.c. is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Breaking things down more, BP is a member of the Oil and Gas - Integrated - International industry, which includes 16 individual companies and currently sits at #66 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 18.77% this year, meaning that BP is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.

BP will likely be looking to continue its solid performance, so investors interested Oils-Energy stocks should continue to pay close attention to the company.