Partly. In a selected comparison updated October 7, 2026, Sterling Infrastructure (NASDAQ: STRL) was up 84.07% year to date (YTD). That trailed Comfort Systems USA (FIX), up 95.07%, but exceeded EMCOR Group (EME), up 34.99%, and Quanta Services (PWR), up 70.62%. Those results do not establish that construction stocks as a whole are lagging STRL: these are three adjacent infrastructure and construction-services peers, not a comprehensive sector index.
How STRL compares with selected infrastructure peers
The following figures are YTD total returns reported by PortfoliosLab in comparisons updated October 7, 2026. Its measure includes dividends when applicable. Returns are a dated market-data-provider snapshot, not an official exchange calculation, and can change on each trading day.
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| Company | Ticker | Reported YTD return | Compared with STRL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling Infrastructure | STRL | +84.07% | — |
| Comfort Systems USA | FIX | +95.07% | Outperformed STRL |
| EMCOR Group | EME | +34.99% | Underperformed STRL |
| Quanta Services | PWR | +70.62% | Underperformed STRL |
Sources: STRL versus FIX, EME versus STRL, and STRL versus PWR. On this peer set, STRL lagged one company and outperformed two.
Why “construction stocks” needs a narrower definition
Construction stocks are not a single, clearly defined market benchmark in the available comparison. Sterling operates in E-Infrastructure, Transportation, and Building Solutions, while FIX, EME, and PWR have different infrastructure, building-systems, and construction-services exposures. They are useful adjacent comparisons, but not perfect substitutes for Sterling or a complete construction-stock universe.
#1 Best Overall
Accordingly, the figures answer a specific question—how STRL performed against these three named companies over the same reported YTD period—not whether it beat or trailed every construction-related stock or an entire sector. No official broad construction-sector return for the October 7 snapshot is established here.
What the operating results say—and what they do not
Sterling’s stock return is a market-performance measure; its operating results provide business context, not an explanation that proves why the share price moved or a forecast of future returns. In its August 3, 2026 second-quarter release, the company reported $1.17 billion in revenue, up 90% year over year, and $155.8 million in net income. It also reported $328 million in operating cash flow for the six months ended June 30, 2026, and $4.33 billion in signed backlog at June 30. The release reports combined backlog including unsigned awards separately, so the $4.33 billion figure should not be read as including them. See the company’s Q2 2026 earnings release for definitions and reconciliations.
Rank #2
CEO Joe Cutillo described demand in the release as strong, citing bidding and award activity and expanded multi-year visibility. That is management’s characterization, not an independent measure of sector demand or a guarantee of future performance.
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Keep older performance figures in their year
Sterling’s investor overview says its share price rose 82% in 2025, compared with 16% for the S&P 500. Those are company-reported figures for 2025, not a 2026 YTD comparison; they should not be combined with the October 2026 peer returns. The Sterling investor overview also describes the company’s business segments.
Rank #3
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A separate stock-data page lists STRL’s last close on file as $563.69 on October 6, 2026, and also reports an 84.07% YTD return. That is a secondary cross-check, not a replacement for an official price-series calculation: StockVS STRL data.
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How to read the comparison
- Use the date: These returns describe the snapshot updated October 7, 2026; they are not a live quote.
- Compare like with like: The peer figures use the same reported YTD return measure, including dividends when applicable.
- Separate performance from fundamentals: Revenue, earnings, cash flow, and backlog describe company results; none alone establishes what a stock will return next.
- Do not generalize beyond the sample: Three adjacent peers cannot stand in for every company linked to construction or for a broad sector index.
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