The Basic Materials group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Air Products and Chemicals (APD) one of those stocks right now? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Basic Materials peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Air Products and Chemicals is one of 294 companies in the Basic Materials group. The Basic Materials group currently sits at #13 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. Air Products and Chemicals is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for APD's full-year earnings has moved 1.7% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

According to our latest data, APD has moved about 10.7% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Basic Materials stocks have gained an average of 9.8%. As we can see, Air Products and Chemicals is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another stock in the Basic Materials sector, Teck Resources Ltd (TECK), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 36.2%.

For Teck Resources Ltd, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 24.6% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Air Products and Chemicals belongs to the Chemical – Diversified industry, a group that includes 32 individual companies and currently sits at #111 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 8.1% this year, meaning that APD is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Teck Resources Ltd, however, belongs to the Mining – Miscellaneous industry. Currently, this 99-stock industry is ranked #187. The industry has moved +17.7% so far this year.

Investors with an interest in Basic Materials stocks should continue to track Air Products and Chemicals and Teck Resources Ltd. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

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Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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