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

Artesian Resources is one of 106 individual stocks in the Utilities sector. Collectively, these companies sit at #2 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 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. Artesian Resources is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARTNA's full-year earnings has moved 8% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

Based on the most recent data, ARTNA has returned 7.2% so far this year. Meanwhile, the Utilities sector has returned an average of 6.4% on a year-to-date basis. This means that Artesian Resources is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.

Another stock in the Utilities sector, Deutsche Telekom AG (DTEGY), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 29.6%.

Over the past three months, Deutsche Telekom AG's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 9.9%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Looking more specifically, Artesian Resources belongs to the Utility - Water Supply industry, which includes 12 individual stocks and currently sits at #79 in the Zacks Industry Rank. This group has gained an average of 15.8% so far this year, so ARTNA is slightly underperforming its industry in this area.

On the other hand, Deutsche Telekom AG belongs to the Diversified Communication Services industry. This 15-stock industry is currently ranked #154. The industry has moved +9.6% year to date.

Investors with an interest in Utilities stocks should continue to track Artesian Resources and Deutsche Telekom AG. These stocks will be looking to continue their solid performance.

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

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