Investors interested in Business Services stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. AppLovin (APP) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.

AppLovin is one of 312 companies in the Business Services group. The Business Services group currently sits at #3 within 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. AppLovin is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).

Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for APP's full-year earnings has moved 13.3% higher. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.

According to our latest data, APP has moved about 300% on a year-to-date basis. At the same time, Business Services stocks have gained an average of 17.9%. This means that AppLovin is performing better than its sector in terms of year-to-date returns.

One other Business Services stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Distribution Solutions Group (DSGR). The stock is up 23.6% year-to-date.

In Distribution Solutions Group's case, the consensus EPS estimate for the current year increased 16.8% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, AppLovin belongs to the Technology Services industry, a group that includes 167 individual companies and currently sits at #66 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 35.8% so far this year, meaning that APP is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Distribution Solutions Group is also part of the same industry.

Investors interested in the Business Services sector may want to keep a close eye on AppLovin and Distribution Solutions Group as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

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AppLovin Corporation (APP) : Free Stock Analysis Report