For those looking to find strong Oils-Energy stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Has SM Energy (SM) been one of those stocks this year? A quick glance at the company's year-to-date performance in comparison to the rest of the Oils-Energy sector should help us answer this question.

SM Energy is a member of the Oils-Energy sector. This group includes 253 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #4. The Zacks Sector Rank includes 16 different groups and is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors.

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. SM Energy is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SM's full-year earnings has moved 632.5% higher within the past quarter. This means that analyst sentiment is stronger and the stock's earnings outlook is improving.

Our latest available data shows that SM has returned about 421.9% since the start of the calendar year. Meanwhile, the Oils-Energy sector has returned an average of 36% on a year-to-date basis. This shows that SM Energy is outperforming its peers so far this year.

One other Oils-Energy stock that has outperformed the sector so far this year is Whiting Petroleum Corporation (WLL). The stock is up 179.3% year-to-date.

The consensus estimate for Whiting Petroleum Corporation's current year EPS has increased 18.9% over the past three months. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

To break things down more, SM Energy belongs to the Oil and Gas - Exploration and Production - United States industry, a group that includes 43 individual companies and currently sits at #47 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 111.8% this year, meaning that SM is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns. Whiting Petroleum Corporation is also part of the same industry.

Investors interested in the Oils-Energy sector may want to keep a close eye on SM Energy and Whiting Petroleum Corporation as they attempt to continue their solid performance.

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