The Computer and Technology group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Microsoft (MSFT) 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 MSFT and the rest of the Computer and Technology group’s stocks.
Microsoft is a member of our Computer and Technology group, which includes 646 different companies and currently sits at #7 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 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. MSFT is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for MSFT’s full-year earnings has moved 4.09% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock’s earnings outlook is improving.
According to our latest data, MSFT has moved about 38.58% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Computer and Technology companies have returned an average of 24.69%. This means that Microsoft is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.
Breaking things down more, MSFT is a member of the Computer – Software industry, which includes 38 individual companies and currently sits at #160 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 34.96% so far this year, so MSFT is performing better in this area.
MSFT will likely be looking to continue its solid performance, so investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should continue to pay close attention to the company.
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Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Free Stock Analysis Report
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