Are Finance Stocks Lagging Aviva (AVVIY) This Year?

For those looking to find strong Finance stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Aviva (AVVIY) 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 Finance peers, we might be able to answer that question.Aviva is one of 858 companies in the Finance group. The Finance group currently sits at #6 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. Aviva is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVVIY's full-year earnings has moved 5.8% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.According to our latest data, AVVIY has moved about 30.7% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, stocks in the Finance group have gained about 5.1% on average. As we can see, Aviva is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.One other Finance stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is EPR Properties (EPR). The stock is up 18.3% year-to-date.The consensus estimate for EPR Properties' current year EPS has increased 1.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).To break things down more, Aviva belongs to the Insurance - Life Insurance industry, a group that includes 16 individual companies and currently sits at #74 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 1.7% so far this year, so AVVIY is performing better in this area.On the other hand, EPR Properties belongs to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry. This 21-stock industry is currently ranked #71. The industry has moved -6.3% year to date.Investors interested in the Finance sector may want to keep a close eye on Aviva and EPR Properties as they attempt to continue their solid performance.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant 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 Aviva PLC (AVVIY): Free Stock Analysis Report EPR Properties (EPR): 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