Are Utilities Stocks Lagging Consolidated Water (CWCO) This Year?

Investors interested in Utilities stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Consolidated Water (CWCO) 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? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.Consolidated Water is one of 109 companies in the Utilities group. The Utilities group currently sits at #2 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 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. Consolidated Water is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CWCO's full-year earnings has moved 25.5% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.Based on the most recent data, CWCO has returned 40% so far this year. In comparison, Utilities companies have returned an average of 19.3%. This means that Consolidated Water is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.One other Utilities stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Paranaense de Energia (ELP). The stock is up 62.7% year-to-date.The consensus estimate for Paranaense de Energia's current year EPS has increased 30.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Looking more specifically, Consolidated Water belongs to the Utility - Water Supply industry, which includes 11 individual stocks and currently sits at #45 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 22.6% so far this year, so CWCO is performing better in this area. Paranaense de Energia, however, belongs to the Utility - Electric Power industry. Currently, this 59-stock industry is ranked #47. The industry has moved +20.4% so far this year.Investors with an interest in Utilities stocks should continue to track Consolidated Water and Paranaense de Energia. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.#1 Semiconductor Stock to Buy (Not NVDA)The incredible demand for data is fueling the market's next digital gold rush. As data centers continue to be built and constantly upgraded, the companies that provide the hardware for these behemoths will become the NVIDIAs of tomorrow.One under-the-radar chipmaker is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the next growth stage of this market. It specializes in semiconductor products that titans like NVIDIA don't build. It's just beginning to enter the spotlight, which is exactly where you want to be.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 Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. (CWCO): Free Stock Analysis Report Companhia Paranaense de Energia (COPEL) (ELP): 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