Shares of Textron (NYSE:TXT) climbed 14.6% in April, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, fueled by a strong first-quarter earnings report. Investors have had a long wait, but it appears the industrial conglomerate has finally turned a corner. So what It's been a tough few years for Textron. Prolonged weakness in its Cessna business-jet unit, a sector that has never fully recovered from the 2008 financial crisis, has weighed on results, as have a series of one-time issues in various other units. Cessna's Citation Longitude. Image source: Textron. Textron's portfolio is diverse and impressive, including business jets, snowmobiles, car parts, and military equipment. But the company has been struggling to get out of second gear.