

Group 1 - Intrepid Potash (IPI) has shown strong year-to-date performance, with a return of approximately 32.3%, outperforming the Basic Materials sector average of 6.7% [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IPI's full-year earnings has increased by 64.4% over the past 90 days, indicating improved analyst sentiment and earnings outlook [4] - IPI is ranked 2 (Buy) in the Zacks Rank system, which highlights stocks with characteristics likely to outperform the market in the near term [3] Group 2 - Intrepid Potash is part of the Fertilizers industry, which consists of 8 companies and currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 34, with an average gain of 7.4% year-to-date [6] - In comparison, US Gold Corp (USAU), another Basic Materials stock, has returned 69% year-to-date and is part of the Mining - Gold industry, which has a Zacks Industry Rank of 140 and has increased by 31.9% [5][6] - Both Intrepid Potash and US Gold Corp are recommended for investors interested in Basic Materials stocks due to their solid performance [7]