Is Splunk (SPLK) Stock Outpacing Its Computer and Technology Peers This Year?

The Computer and Technology group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Splunk (SPLK) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Computer and Technology peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Splunk is a member of the Computer and Technology sector. This group includes 665 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #9. The Zacks Sector Rank gauges the strength of our 16 individual sector groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups.

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. Splunk is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SPLK's full-year earnings has moved 8.7% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

According to our latest data, SPLK has moved about 7.3% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, the Computer and Technology sector has returned an average of -19.2% on a year-to-date basis. This means that Splunk is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

Another stock in the Computer and Technology sector, Vocera Communications (VCRA), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 22%.

The consensus estimate for Vocera Communications' current year EPS has increased 391.7% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, Splunk belongs to the Internet - Software industry, a group that includes 149 individual companies and currently sits at #174 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 38.9% so far this year, so SPLK is performing better in this area.

In contrast, Vocera Communications falls under the Communication - Components industry. Currently, this industry has 17 stocks and is ranked #97. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved -12.7%.

Splunk and Vocera Communications could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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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.