Is Eagle Materials (EXP) Outperforming Other Construction Stocks This Year?
Investors interested in Construction stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Eagle Materials (EXP) 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? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Construction sector should help us answer this question.
Eagle Materials is a member of the Construction sector. This group includes 97 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #6. 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 model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Eagle Materials is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EXP's full-year earnings has moved 1.8% higher. This is a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend.
Our latest available data shows that EXP has returned about 52.7% since the start of the calendar year. In comparison, Construction companies have returned an average of 51.7%. This means that Eagle Materials is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.
James Hardie (JHX) is another Construction stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has returned 115.6%.
For James Hardie, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 9.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
Looking more specifically, Eagle Materials belongs to the Building Products - Concrete and Aggregates industry, a group that includes 8 individual stocks and currently sits at #68 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 45.9% this year, meaning that EXP is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.
James Hardie, however, belongs to the Building Products - Miscellaneous industry. Currently, this 27-stock industry is ranked #38. The industry has moved +60.1% so far this year.
Eagle Materials and James Hardie could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Construction stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.
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Eagle Materials Inc (EXP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
James Hardie Industries PLC. (JHX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
