Planet Labs PBC is top performing research and consulting services stock YTD

[Candlestick chart and data of financial market.]
tadamichi/iStock via Getty Images

The S&P 500 industrials sector has delivered a robust performance in 2025, with a year to date performance of up +18%.

The sector ranked as the third-best-performing sector year to date and, outpacing the broader benchmark S&P 500 (SP500 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SP500#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]).

As we look at the sub-sectors within the industrials sector, below is a list of the top 10 research and consulting services stocks ranked by their YTD performance. The list includes Quant ratings.

The list is topped by Planet Labs PBC (PL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PL]), with an impressive YTD performance of +413.12%. UL Solutions (ULS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ULS]), Huron Consulting Group (HURN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HURN]), and Amentum Holdings (AMTM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMTM]) follow with strong performances ranging from roughly +40% to +57%.

Not all companies on the list posted gains this year. TransUnion (TRU [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TRU]), FTI Consulting (FCN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FCN]), and Science Applications International (SAIC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SAIC]) showed negative YTD performance, with SAIC bringing up the rear at -8.16%.

Here is the list:

*
Planet Labs PBC (PL [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PL]), YTD perf: +413.12%, Quant Rating: Hold (3.49)

*
UL Solutions Inc. (ULS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ULS]), YTD perf: +56.94%, Quant Rating: Hold (3.32)

*
Huron Consulting Group Inc. (HURN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HURN]), YTD perf: +43.41%, Quant Rating: Strong Buy (4.58)

*
Amentum Holdings, Inc. (AMTM [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AMTM]), YTD perf: +40.09%, Quant Rating: Buy (4.04)

*
CACI International Inc (CACI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CACI]), YTD perf: +34.77%, Quant Rating: Buy (3.96)

*
Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LDOS]), YTD perf: +29.33%, Quant Rating: Buy (4.41)

*
Jacobs Solutions Inc. (J [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/J]), YTD perf: +1.68%, Quant Rating: Hold (2.84)

*
TransUnion (TRU [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TRU]), YTD perf: -6.35%, Quant Rating: Hold (3.13)

*
FTI Consulting, Inc. (FCN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FCN]), YTD perf: -7.74%, Quant Rating: Buy (4.14)

*
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SAIC]), YTD perf: -8.16%, Quant Rating: Hold (3.23)

INDUSTRIALS ETFS: (XLI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/XLI]), (VIS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VIS]), (FXR [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FXR]), (IYJ [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IYJ]), (FIDU [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/FIDU]), and (RSPN [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RSPN])

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* A Different Market Is Coming In 2026: Sector Winners And Losers [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4854375-different-market-coming-in-2026-sector-winners-and-losers]
* Industrials Can Win In 2026, Thanks To The Rising Tech CAPEX [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4854286-industrials-can-win-in-2026-thanks-to-the-rising-tech-capex]
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