For those looking to find strong Medical stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has AnaptysBio, Inc. (ANAB) 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.

AnaptysBio, Inc. is one of 1010 individual stocks in the Medical sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #3 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 model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. AnaptysBio, Inc. is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Within the past quarter, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for ANAB's full-year earnings has moved 15.7% higher. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Based on the most recent data, ANAB has returned 22% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Medical sector has returned an average of 5% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that AnaptysBio, Inc. is outperforming its peers so far this year.

Another Medical stock, which has outperformed the sector so far this year, is AtriCure (ATRC). The stock has returned 38.6% year-to-date.

In AtriCure's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 2.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

To break things down more, AnaptysBio, Inc. belongs to the Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, a group that includes 510 individual companies and currently sits at #66 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 12.3% so far this year, meaning that ANAB is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.

In contrast, AtriCure falls under the Medical - Products industry. Currently, this industry has 83 stocks and is ranked #66. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has moved +9.9%.

AnaptysBio, Inc. and AtriCure could continue their solid performance, so investors interested in Medical stocks should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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