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

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Investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) one of those stocks right now? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Computer and Technology sector should help us answer this question.

Applied Materials is a member of our Computer and Technology group, which includes 606 different companies and currently sits at #5 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

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. Applied Materials is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AMAT's full-year earnings has moved 1.2% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.

Based on the most recent data, AMAT has returned 10.7% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Computer and Technology group have gained about 9.1% on average. This means that Applied Materials is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another Computer and Technology stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR (ADYEY - Free Report) . The stock has returned 14.7% year-to-date.

In Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 2.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Applied Materials belongs to the Electronics - Semiconductors industry, a group that includes 44 individual companies and currently sits at #92 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 15.1% this year, meaning that AMAT is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR falls under the Internet - Software industry. Currently, this industry has 174 stocks and is ranked #79. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +17.6%.

Applied Materials and Adyen N.V. Unsponsored ADR could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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