Are Finance Stocks Lagging AIA (AAGIY) This Year?

Company Performance - AIA (AAGIY) has returned approximately 15.7% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the average return of 5.6% for Finance companies [4] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIA's full-year earnings has increased by 3.1% over the past three months, indicating improved analyst sentiment and earnings outlook [3] Industry Comparison - AIA belongs to the Insurance - Life Insurance industry, which has an average year-to-date return of 1.8%, showing that AIA is performing better than its industry peers [5] - In contrast, Apollo Commercial Finance (ARI), which is part of the REIT and Equity Trust industry, has returned 13.2% year-to-date, while its industry has declined by 4.1% [4][6] Zacks Rank - AIA currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), suggesting it is positioned well for potential outperformance in the near term [3] - Apollo Commercial Finance also has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), reflecting strong earnings estimates with a 61% increase over the past three months [5]