Is Applied Materials (AMAT) Stock Outpacing Its Computer and Technology Peers This Year?

For those looking to find strong Computer and Technology stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Applied Materials (AMAT) been one of those stocks this year? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.Applied Materials is one of 606 companies in the Computer and Technology group. The Computer and Technology group currently sits at #5 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.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. Applied Materials is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMAT's full-year earnings has moved 1.2% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.Based on the most recent data, AMAT has returned 10.7% so far this year. In comparison, Computer and Technology companies have returned an average of 9.1%. This shows that Applied Materials is outperforming its peers so far this year.Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR (ADYEY) is another Computer and Technology stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 14.7%.Over the past three months, Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 2.3%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Breaking things down more, Applied Materials is a member of the Electronics - Semiconductors industry, which includes 44 individual companies and currently sits at #92 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 15.1% so far this year, meaning that AMAT is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns. On the other hand, Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR belongs to the Internet - Software industry. This 174-stock industry is currently ranked #79. The industry has moved +17.6% year to date.Investors interested in the Computer and Technology sector may want to keep a close eye on Applied Materials and Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR as they attempt to continue their solid performance.Zacks Names #1 Semiconductor StockThis under-the-radar company specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. And it's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.With strong earnings growth and an expanding customer base, it's positioned to feed the rampant demand for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Internet of Things. Global semiconductor manufacturing is projected to explode from $452 billion in 2021 to $971 billion by 2028.See This Stock Now for Free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT): Free Stock Analysis Report Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR (ADYEY): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks