The Oils-Energy group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Smart Sand (SND) 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? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Oils-Energy sector should help us answer this question.

Smart Sand is a member of our Oils-Energy group, which includes 242 different companies and currently sits at #16 in 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. Smart Sand is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for SND's full-year earnings has moved 300% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

According to our latest data, SND has moved about 20.2% on a year-to-date basis. Meanwhile, the Oils-Energy sector has returned an average of 9% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that Smart Sand is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Oils-Energy stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is SunCoke Energy (SXC). The stock has returned 14.4% year-to-date.

For SunCoke Energy, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 21.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, Smart Sand is a member of the Oil and Gas - Field Services industry, which includes 23 individual companies and currently sits at #82 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 0.8% so far this year, so SND is performing better in this area.

On the other hand, SunCoke Energy belongs to the Coal industry. This 9-stock industry is currently ranked #145. The industry has moved +10.8% year to date.

Investors interested in the Oils-Energy sector may want to keep a close eye on Smart Sand and SunCoke Energy 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

Smart Sand (SND) : Free Stock Analysis Report

SunCoke Energy, Inc. (SXC) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research