EPR Properties Outperforms Finance Peers with 27.7% Year-to-Date Gain: A Look at Its Performance and Industry Rank

Investing in Finance stocks can be a lucrative venture, but it's important to keep an eye on the best-performing companies within the sector. EPR Properties (EPR) is one such stock that has captured the attention of many investors, but how does its recent performance stack up against the overall Finance sector? By examining EPR's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Finance peers, we can gain valuable insights into its performance. EPR Properties is one of 857 companies in the Finance group, which currently sits at #5 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst based on the average Zacks Rank of individual companies within each sector. EPR Properties currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), indicating that it is a stock with favorable characteristics for outperforming the market over the next one to three months. In the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for EPR's full-year earnings has moved 1.6% higher, a sign of improving analyst sentiment and a positive earnings outlook trend. Based on the latest available data, EPR has gained about 27.7% so far this year, outperforming the average return of 4.4% for Finance companies. This impressive performance puts EPR ahead of another Finance stock that has also outperformed the sector this year, Aviva (AVVIY), which is up 40.8% year-to-date. Aviva currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and its consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 4.2% over the past three months. EPR Properties belongs to the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry, which includes 21 individual stocks and currently sits at #91 in the Zacks Industry Rank. In terms of year-to-date returns, EPR is performing better than this group, which has lost about 5.6% so far this year. In contrast, Aviva falls under the Insurance - Life Insurance industry, which has 16 stocks and is ranked #71. Since the beginning of the year, this industry has moved -0.3%. Investors with an interest in Finance stocks should continue to track EPR Properties and Aviva, as both stocks are looking to continue their solid performance. For the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research, investors can download their free report on 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.