Ten companies finished stronger this week, outpacing the broader market thanks to a series of catalysts that lifted investor sentiment.

On Friday, the Dow Jones recorded its largest weekly drop, falling 1.07%, while the S&P’s main index and Nasdaq declined by 0.71% and 0.62%, respectively.

Despite a lackluster performance from Wall Street’s major indices, 10 companies demonstrated notable resilience. In this article, we will look at their past week’s performance and the reasons that fueled their rally.

To come up with this week’s top gainers, we considered only the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and $5 million in daily trading volume.

10. United States Steel Corp. (NYSE:X)

Shares of US Steel Corp. (X) finished last week’s trading on a strong note, clocking in a 12.82-percent gain to end at $34.24 versus a $30.35 finish the week prior.

Despite President Joe Biden’s blocking of Nippon Steel’s plan to acquire US Steel for $14.9 billion earlier this month, investor sentiment was later fueled by hopes that the deal could still push through after the current administration told the Japan-based firm to delay an order to abandon the plan until June.

“We are pleased that CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) has granted an extension to June 18, 2025, of the requirement in President Biden’s Executive Order that the parties permanently abandon the transaction,” both firms said in a statement.

“We look forward to completing the transaction, which secures the best future for the American steel industry and all our stakeholders,” they added.

Both companies, however, will now confront the challenge of a new administration, particularly as incoming President Donald Trump has already signaled his opposition to Nippon’s acquisition of US Steel.

9. Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL)

Shares of Delta Air (DAL) jumped by 13.36 percent week-on-week, ending at $66.95 versus the $59.06 price the week prior.

Investor sentiment was bolstered by better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter of 2024 on the back of strong travel demand.

From months October to December, Delta Air (DAL) said net income came in at $843 million while operating revenues were at $15.6 billion. Earnings per share of $1.85 also beat analyst estimates of $1.75.

For this year, Delta Air Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said he was confident that the company’s strong performance would carry over to 2025, “with consumers increasingly seeking the premium products and experiences that Delta provides.”

For this year, Delta Air Lines (DAL) said it expects to generate over $4 billion in free cash, or an 18 percent growth from 2024, in the midpoint of its annual target of between $3 billion and $5 billion. Meanwhile, annual adjusted earnings are targeted to settle at $7.35 per share.

8. Royalty Pharma Plc (NASDAQ:RPRX)

Royalty Pharma (RPRX) saw its share price increase by 14.26 percent to end at $29.49 apiece versus the $25.81 posted the week prior, following news that it was set to acquire its external manager RP Management, as it seeks to simplify its corporate structure.

On a financial basis, the acquisition plan was expected to generate cash savings for the company of up to $100 million in 2026, more than $175 in 2030, and drive cumulative savings worth at least $1.6 billion over ten years.

Royalty Pharma (RPRX) said its decision followed investors’ feedback that the current structure made it difficult to invest in the healthcare firm, and shifting to internal management could enhance the company’s valuation over time.

7. Capri Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:CPRI)

Share prices of fashion holding firm Capri Holdings (CPRI) increased by 14.65 percent week-on-week, ending at $23.71 as compared with the $20.68 finish the week prior.

Investor sentiment was buoyed by news that Prada was looking to acquire Capri Holdings’ Versace brand. According to reports, the company has already engaged financial and legal advisers to look into the potential deal to decide whether to pursue such a plan.

Meanwhile, Capri Holdings (CPRI) was also said to have hired Barclays to explore options for the label and other brands in its portfolio that would include Jimmy Choo.

Prada emerged as one of the winners amid a rare broader luxury sector downturn, having pushed its sales higher in the third quarter of 2024 thanks to the strong performance of its Miu Miu brand, which is enjoying rising popularity among the young market.

6. Equinox Gold Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:EQX)

Equinox Gold (EQX) saw its share price rally by 16.19 percent to $6.10 apiece from $5.25 week-on-week after hitting record-breaking quarterly and annual gold production.

According to Equinox Gold (EQX), it was able to produce 213,960 ounces of gold in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 621,870 ounces for the full year. Its Greenstone mine, which it now fully controls, contributed 111,710 ounces in its first partial year of operations after achieving commercial production.

Equinox Gold Corp. (EQX) also said it ended the year with approximately $240 million in cash and equivalents and $105 million available to draw on its revolving credit facility, as well as another $100 million undrawn accordion feature.

During the fourth quarter, the company was able to slash its debt by $180 million with the payment of the final $40 million due to Orion Mine Finance for the purchase of its 40 percent interest in Greenstone and with the conversion to equity by the holders of $140 million in convertible notes.

5. Paycor HCM Inc. (NASDAQ:PYCR)

Despite ending in the red territory last Friday versus Wednesday’s trading, shares of Paycor HCM (PYCR) remained strong in week-on-week comparison, closing higher by 20.58 percent at $22.15 from its $18.37 finish the week prior.

Traders loaded up shares in the company after announcements that it was set to be acquired by its larger rival, Paychex.

Citing experts privy to the matter, reports said that a deal may be officially announced soon.

Should the acquisition plan push through, it would become the largest deal from New York-based Paychex to date.

Paycor (PYCR) is a software company offering human resources and payroll solutions for small and midsize businesses.

Meanwhile, Paychex offers human resources, employee benefits, insurance, and payroll services to more than 745,000 customers in the US and Europe.

4. Frontline Plc (NYSE:FRO)

Oil shipping giant Frontline Plc (FRO) rose by 17.61 percent week-on-week, finishing at $17.23 on Friday as compared with the $14.65 close the week prior as traders bought up shares after President Joe Biden announced the imposition of taxes on the Russian energy sector and its shadow fleet of oil tankers.

Frontline plc (FRO), the world’s largest oil tanker based in Cyprus, stands to benefit from the new Russia tariffs, on expectations that oil buyers will look elsewhere for supply. Other oil-producing countries such as the Middle East and Africa may step in to fill the gap left by Russian exports.

In other news, Frontline recently earned a “strong buy” rating from Fearnley Fonds.

Jefferies Financial Group, while lowering its target price on Frontline (FRO) shares from $26.00 to $20.00, has set a “buy” rating on the stock, indicating a positive outlook.

Finally, BTIG Research upgraded Frontline (FRO) from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 price target for the company.

3. Constellation Energy Group (NASDAQ:CEG)

Constellation Energy (CEG) saw its share price this week jump by 22.02 percent to end at $305.19 each versus the $250.11 finish the week prior following news that the company is set to acquire geothermal firm Calpine Corp. for a whopping $16.4 billion.

Touted as one of the largest acquisition plans in the history of the US power industry, Constellation Energy’s acquisition plan came at a time when electricity demand continued to rise, driven by the rapid development of the Artificial Intelligence sector which was expected to require a higher power demand for its data centers.

Following the announcement, Constellation Energy CEO Joe Dominguez told investors that demand for energy products “is expected to grow by levels we haven’t seen in a lifetime.”

Upon completion, the deal would make Constellation, currently the largest US nuclear energy producer, into the US’ biggest independent power provider, sharply growing its mix of natural gas-fired electricity generation.

2. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA)

Walgreens (WBA) saw its share price week-on-week soar by 27.41 percent to $11.76 from the $9.23 posted a week prior after its executives announced progress improving one of the largest concerns facing the industry—shrinking prescription reimbursement and said that their store-closing plan was progressing better than expected.

According to Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth, the company succeeded in modifying contracts with commercial insurance firms that pay for prescriptions, including Medicare and Medicaid.

He also announced the company’s progress in closing 1,200 underperforming stores, a move that was expected to save Walgreens from incurring further expenses.

In the first quarter of the fiscal year, Walgreens (WBA) shut down around 70 stores. It plans to shutter around 500 this year. The company runs about 8,500 locations in the US and Puerto Rico, as well as a few thousand stores in Europe and Asia.

1. Inari Medical Inc. (NASDAQ:NARI)

Despite dipping by a marginal 0.01 percent on Friday from Wednesday’s trading, shares of Inari Medical (NARI) soared by nearly 52 percent week-on-week to end at $79.29 apiece.

Investor sentiment was buoyed by an announcement of a definitive agreement from Stryker involving the latter’s acquisition of Inari Medical for approximately $4.9 billion.

Inari Medical (NARI) is expected to enhance Stryker’s portfolio by expanding its treatment options for venous thromboembolism (VTE), a condition characterized by blood-vein clotting, and other venous diseases through clot removal without the use of thrombolytic drugs.

Each year, VTE impacts nearly one million lives in the United States, mostly those undergoing hospitalization, cancer treatment, and during or after pregnancy.

While we acknowledge the potential of NARI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NARI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.