Has American Vanguard (AVD) Outpaced Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

Group 1 - American Vanguard (AVD) is a member of the Basic Materials sector, ranking 15 in the Zacks Sector Rank among 237 companies [1] - AVD currently holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook [2] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AVD's full-year earnings has increased by 4.4% in the past quarter, reflecting stronger analyst sentiment [2] - AVD has gained approximately 1.4% year-to-date, outperforming the Basic Materials sector, which has returned an average of -2.5% [2] - AVD belongs to the Chemical - Specialty industry, which ranks 85 in the Zacks Industry Rank, with stocks in this group gaining about 8.7% year-to-date [3] Group 2 - Ecolab (ECL), another stock in the Basic Materials sector, has outperformed the sector with a year-to-date return of 13.2% [2] - The consensus estimate for Ecolab's current year EPS has increased by 6.5% over the past three months, and it holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [3] - Both American Vanguard and Ecolab are expected to continue their solid performance, making them noteworthy for investors interested in Basic Materials stocks [3]