Investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Woodward (WWD) 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? One simple way to answer this question is to take a look at the year-to-date performance of WWD and the rest of the Computer and Technology group's stocks.Woodward is a member of our Computer and Technology group, which includes 637 different companies and currently sits at #9 in the Zacks Sector Rank. 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. WWD is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for WWD's full-year earnings has moved 3.55% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.Based on the latest available data, WWD has gained about 45.92% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Computer and Technology group have gained about 19.78% on average. This means that Woodward is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.Looking more specifically, WWD belongs to the Instruments - Control industry, which includes 8 individual stocks and currently sits at #240 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have gained 19.39% this year, meaning that WWD is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.WWD will likely be looking to continue its solid performance, so investors interested in Computer and Technology stocks should continue to pay close attention to the company.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Woodward, Inc. (WWD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research