For those looking to find strong Oils-Energy stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has Consol Energy (CEIX) been one of those stocks this year? 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.

Consol Energy is one of 240 companies in the Oils-Energy group. The Oils-Energy group currently sits at #15 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 emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find stocks with improving earnings outlooks. This system has a long record of success, and these stocks tend to be on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Consol Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CEIX's full-year earnings has moved 0.3% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Based on the most recent data, CEIX has returned 16.4% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Oils-Energy sector has returned an average of 6.4% on a year-to-date basis. As we can see, Consol Energy is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.

Another stock in the Oils-Energy sector, Enerflex (EFXT), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 106.4%.

The consensus estimate for Enerflex's current year EPS has increased 49.1% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Consol Energy belongs to the Coal industry, which includes 9 individual stocks and currently sits at #81 in the Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks in this group have gained about 2.8% so far this year, so CEIX is performing better this group in terms of year-to-date returns.

On the other hand, Enerflex belongs to the Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - Canadian industry. This 6-stock industry is currently ranked #159. The industry has moved -0.6% year to date.

Investors with an interest in Oils-Energy stocks should continue to track Consol Energy and Enerflex. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

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