Investors interested in Utilities stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Is The AES (AES) one of those stocks right now? 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.The AES is a member of the Utilities sector. This group includes 119 individual stocks and currently holds a Zacks Sector Rank of #12. 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. AES is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy).Over the past 90 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for AES's full-year earnings has moved 1.57% higher. This shows that analyst sentiment has improved and the company's earnings outlook is stronger.Based on the most recent data, AES has returned 0.80% so far this year. Meanwhile, stocks in the Utilities group have lost about 1.08% on average. As we can see, The AES is performing better than its sector in the calendar year.Looking more specifically, AES belongs to the Utility - Electric Power industry, a group that includes 65 individual stocks and currently sits at #160 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, stocks in this group have lost 1.05% this year, meaning that AES is performing better in terms of year-to-date returns.Going forward, investors interested in Utilities stocks should continue to pay close attention to AES as it looks to continue its solid performance.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 The AES Corporation (AES): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.