Is EPR Properties (EPR) Outperforming Other Finance Stocks This Year?

Investors interested in Finance stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has EPR Properties (EPR) been one of those stocks this year? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.

EPR Properties is one of 835 companies in the Finance group. The Finance group currently sits at #4 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different sector groups. The average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups is measured, and the sectors are listed from best to worst.

The Zacks Rank is a proven system that emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions, highlighting a variety of stocks that are displaying the right characteristics to beat the market over the next one to three months. EPR Properties is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPR's full-year earnings has moved 2.8% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Our latest available data shows that EPR has returned about 11.8% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Finance group have lost about 0.3% on average. This shows that EPR Properties is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another stock in the Finance sector, Ameris Bancorp (ABCB), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 12.9%.

Over the past three months, Ameris Bancorp's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 3.4%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, EPR Properties belongs to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry, a group that includes 19 individual stocks and currently sits at #33 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 19% this year, meaning that EPR is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, Ameris Bancorp falls under the Banks - Southeast industry. Currently, this industry has 53 stocks and is ranked #56. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +5.2%.

Investors with an interest in Finance stocks should continue to track EPR Properties and Ameris Bancorp. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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