Getty Images Energy stocks outperformed the broader market over the past monthOne of the least popular sectors last year and last quarter is finally getting the recognition it deserves, according to analysts at RBC Capital Markets. The energy sector was down 5.9% during the first quarter of this year, the worst performance among 11 main industries of the S&P 500 SPX, +0.08% according to FactSet data. The broader S&P 500 fell 1.2% during the first three months of the year. In 2017, when the broader market’s total return was 22%, the energy sectorXLE, +1.57% declined 1%. But over the past month, the sector rallied more than 7%, compared with a 1.7% decline in the broader market. Higher oil prices and improving profitability of energy companies is just one of the many reasons for being bullish on the sector. Moreover, crude-oil prices CLK8, +0.85% are up nearly 10% since the start of the year and are up 26% over the past 12 months. That dynamic has helped support the ‘overweight’ position on the energy sector, maintained by Lori Calvasina, head of U.S. equity strategy, since January.via