For those looking to find strong Medical stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Gilead Sciences (GILD) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Medical peers, we might be able to answer that question.

Gilead Sciences is a member of the Medical sector. This group includes 1011 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #5. 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 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. Gilead Sciences is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GILD's full-year earnings has moved 4.2% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the most recent data, GILD has returned 16.8% so far this year. At the same time, Medical stocks have gained an average of 3.6%. As we can see, Gilead Sciences is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another Medical stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is AngioDynamics (ANGO). The stock has returned 11.1% year-to-date.

In AngioDynamics' case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 9% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Gilead Sciences belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, which includes 509 individual stocks and currently sits at #76 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 4.3% so far this year, so GILD is performing better in this area.

In contrast, AngioDynamics falls under the Medical - Instruments industry. Currently, this industry has 84 stocks and is ranked #76. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved -2.1%.

Investors interested in the Medical sector may want to keep a close eye on Gilead Sciences and AngioDynamics as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) : Free Stock Analysis Report

AngioDynamics, Inc. (ANGO) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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

Zacks Investment Research