Investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Marathon Oil (MRO) 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 MRO and the rest of the Oils-Energy group's stocks.
Marathon Oil is one of 251 individual stocks in the Oils-Energy sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #3 in 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 emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. MRO is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).
Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MRO's full-year earnings has moved 126.46% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.
Based on the most recent data, MRO has returned 70.01% so far this year. In comparison, Oils-Energy companies have returned an average of 16.19%. This means that Marathon Oil is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.
Looking more specifically, MRO belongs to the Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States industry, which includes 10 individual stocks and currently sits at #46 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 48.81% this year, meaning that MRO is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.
Going forward, investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should continue to pay close attention to MRO as it looks to continue its solid performance.
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Marathon Oil Corporation (MRO): Free Stock Analysis Report
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