Are Basic Materials Stocks Lagging AkzoNobel (AKZOY) This Year?

Company Overview - Akzo Nobel NV (AKZOY) is part of the Basic Materials group, which consists of 238 companies and ranks 7 in the Zacks Sector Rank [2] - The company currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook [3] Performance Analysis - Year-to-date, Akzo Nobel NV has returned approximately 16.6%, outperforming the Basic Materials sector average return of 11.2% [4] - In comparison, another Basic Materials stock, Compass Minerals (CMP), has significantly outperformed with a return of 94.4% year-to-date [4] Earnings Estimates - Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Akzo Nobel NV's full-year earnings has increased by 8.8%, reflecting improved analyst sentiment [3] - Compass Minerals has also seen a positive trend, with its consensus EPS estimate rising by 25.2% over the last three months [5] Industry Context - Akzo Nobel NV belongs to the Chemical - Diversified industry, which includes 29 companies and currently ranks 228 in the Zacks Industry Rank [6] - The average return for this industry has been a loss of 12.8% year-to-date, indicating that Akzo Nobel NV is performing better than its industry peers [6] Future Outlook - Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should monitor Akzo Nobel NV and Compass Minerals for potential continued strong performance [7]