Thursday was a strong day on Wall Street, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average joined other major benchmarks in hitting record highs. Market participants were pleased that the U.S. and China have apparently agreed to a pathway toward reducing tariffs, which would take away a long-held worry among investors. Favorable earnings reports also helped lift sentiment. CenturyLink (LUMN -5.15%), Triumph Group (TGI 1.05%), and Keurig Dr Pepper (DPS) were among the top performers. Here's why they did so well.
CenturyLink makes a connection
Shares of CenturyLink jumped 11% after the telecom reported solid third-quarter financial results. Revenue was down almost 4% year over year, but CenturyLink did manage to boost its net income slightly from year-ago levels. The company also continued making progress paying down debt from its free cash flow, and that has positive implications for the sustainability of its current dividend. With a nearly 7% yield for the stock, shareholders like CenturyLink's payouts, and the telecom's continued confidence in its financial goals for the rest of the year bodes well for dividend investors.
Image source: CenturyLink.
A win for Triumph
Triumph Group's stock climbed 16% following the company's release of its fiscal second-quarter financial report. The aerospace components manufacturer saw organic sales rise 13% from year-earlier levels, driven largely by strength in engine and military rotorcraft components. Aftermarket accessories were also in demand, and Triumph said that greater efficiency led to better results in its integrated systems division. The grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft is having only a small impact on sales for Triumph, according to the company. With strong performance in the first half of the year, Triumph seems to have the upward momentum investors like to see in a stock.
Keurig Dr Pepper pops
Finally, shares of Keurig Dr Pepper rose 6%. The beverage company enjoyed a strong third quarter, with underlying net sales climbing 3.1% and adjusted earnings per share posting a nearly 7% gain year over year. Keurig Dr Pepper saw improvements in sales volume, mix, and pricing, and good performance came from its coffee systems, packaged beverages, and Latin American business segments. The company confirmed its previous guidance for the full 2019 year, and it'll be interesting to see whether the combination of Keurig's coffeemaker business and Dr Pepper's drink empire will produce stronger growth in the near future.