Texas Instruments (TXN)

TXN's price is up roughly 13% over the last month, its strongest stretch in a while.

What is going on right now?

The stock has been climbing steadily, sitting well above where it traded over the past several months. Trading activity has also picked up a bit compared to recent weeks.

How is the business itself doing?

Texas Instruments makes the tiny chips found inside everything from cars to factory equipment. Last quarter, its revenue grew about 28% and its earnings nearly doubled, with profit margins staying very healthy around 34%.

What stands out?

The company earns about 60 cents of profit on every dollar of revenue before other costs, which is unusually high. It also returns most of its earnings to shareholders, with a payout ratio near 86%.

What comes next?

U.S. consumer confidence recently dipped to 48, and since TI's chips go heavily into industrial and automotive products, demand for those goods in the coming quarters will show up directly in its numbers.