Is Marathon Petroleum (MPC) performing better than other oil and energy stocks this year?

Oils-Energy Group has plenty of great stocks, but investors should always look for companies that are outperforming their peers. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) is a stock that could certainly attract the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock’s year-to-date performance compared to its Oils-Energy peers, we may be able to answer this question.

Marathon Petroleum is one of 249 individual companies operating in the oil and energy sector. Collectively, these companies have a Zacks Sector Rank of 14. 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 companies with better earnings prospects. This system has a long history of success and these stocks are on track to beat the market over the next one to three months. Marathon Petroleum is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MPC’s full-year earnings has moved 38.2% over the past quarter. This indicates improved analyst sentiment and a positive trend in earnings prospects.

According to our latest data, the MPC has moved 19.8% year-over-year. Meanwhile, shares of the Oils-Energy group have gained about 7% on average. This means that Marathon Petroleum is outperforming the entire sector this year.

Another Oils-Energy stock that has outperformed the sector this year is TXO Partners LP (TXO). Since the beginning of the year, the company’s shares have returned 16.6%.

The consensus estimate for TXO Partners LP’s EPS for the current year has increased 15.7% over the past three months. The stock is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

More specifically, Marathon Petroleum is a member of the Oil & Gas – Refining and Marketing industry, which includes 15 individual companies and currently sits at #70 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, shares in this group have gained 5.1% this year, meaning MPC is doing better in terms of profitability year-to-date.

TXO Partners LP belongs to the Energy and Pipeline – Master Limited Partnerships industry. Currently, this industry has 3 stocks and ranks 2nd. The industry has grown by 7.9% since the beginning of the year.

Marathon Petroleum and TXO Partners LP could continue their strong performance, so investors interested in Oils-Energy stock should continue to pay close attention to these stocks.

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