Is Kronos Worldwide (KRO) Outperforming Other Basic Materials Stocks This Year?

Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has Kronos Worldwide (KRO) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Basic Materials sector should help us answer this question.

Kronos Worldwide is one of 241 individual stocks in the Basic Materials sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #4 in the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.

The Zacks Rank is a successful stock-picking model that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions. The system highlights a number of different stocks that could be poised to outperform the broader market over the next one to three months. Kronos Worldwide is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for KRO's full-year earnings has moved 2.4% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the latest available data, KRO has gained about 2.2% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Basic Materials sector has returned an average of -2.1% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that Kronos Worldwide is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another stock in the Basic Materials sector, Silica Holdings (SLCA), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 74.2%.

The consensus estimate for Silica Holdings' current year EPS has increased 325.4% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Kronos Worldwide is a member of the Chemical - Diversified industry, which includes 38 individual companies and currently sits at #150 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 8.1% this year, meaning that KRO is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

Silica Holdings, however, belongs to the Mining - Miscellaneous industry. Currently, this 49-stock industry is ranked #88. The industry has moved +5% so far this year.

Investors interested in the Basic Materials sector may want to keep a close eye on Kronos Worldwide and Silica Holdings as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.