Investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Has FMC Technologies (FTI) been one of those stocks this year? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Oils-Energy peers, we might be able to answer that question.

FMC Technologies is a member of the Oils-Energy sector. This group includes 239 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #10. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.

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. FMC Technologies is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FTI's full-year earnings has moved 19.4% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.

Based on the latest available data, FTI has gained about 44.8% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Oils-Energy sector has returned an average of 0.9% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that FMC Technologies is outperforming its peers so far this year.

One other Oils-Energy stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Targa Resources, Inc. (TRGP). The stock is up 104.8% year-to-date.

For Targa Resources, Inc. the consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 6.5% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Breaking things down more, FMC Technologies is a member of the Oil and Gas - Field Services industry, which includes 23 individual companies and currently sits at #141 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has lost an average of 8.8% so far this year, so FTI is performing better in this area.

Targa Resources, Inc. however, belongs to the Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing - Master Limited Partnerships industry. Currently, this 6-stock industry is ranked #222. The industry has moved +52.3% so far this year.

FMC Technologies and Targa Resources, Inc. could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Oils-Energy stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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