The Utilities group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always be looking for companies that are outperforming their peers. Is Centrica PLC (CPYYY) one of those stocks right now? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Utilities sector should help us answer this question.

Centrica PLC is a member of our Utilities group, which includes 106 different companies and currently sits at #3 in the Zacks Sector Rank. 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. Centrica PLC is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CPYYY's full-year earnings has moved 9.4% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the latest available data, CPYYY has gained about 12% so far this year. In comparison, Utilities companies have returned an average of 1%. This means that Centrica PLC is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another stock in the Utilities sector, Middlesex Water (MSEX), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 21.2%.

In Middlesex Water's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 3.3% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Centrica PLC belongs to the Utility - Gas Distribution industry, a group that includes 14 individual stocks and currently sits at #60 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 10.7% so far this year, so CPYYY is performing better in this area.

In contrast, Middlesex Water falls under the Utility - Water Supply industry. Currently, this industry has 12 stocks and is ranked #215. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +14.9%.

Investors with an interest in Utilities stocks should continue to track Centrica PLC and Middlesex Water. These stocks will be looking 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

Centrica PLC (CPYYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Middlesex Water Company (MSEX) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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

Zacks Investment Research