Hot Stocks: COST rises on sales data; WM gets bullish rating; KRUS plunges on earnings; BAX falls
Nikada


While jobs data drove trading in the broader market, Friday's midday trading also saw a handful of stocks moving on individual news. This included Costco (NASDAQ:COST), which climbed following the release of December sales results.
At the same time, Waste Management (WM) ticked up on an upbeat analyst note that highlighted the potential value of the firm's alternative energy initiatives.
Looking to the downside, earnings news prompted a double-digit percentage slide in Kura Sushi (KRUS). Meanwhile, Baxter (BAX) retreated on the planned spinoff of certain business units.
Gainers
Costco (COST) rose in intraday action after the retailer announced its December sales figures. The company said its sales totaled $23.8B, a 7% increase from the same period last year.
COST revealed comparable store sales that advanced 7.3% in December. On the news, shares climbed more than 6%.
Elsewhere, Waste Management (WM) ticked higher in midday action, climbing about 2% on a bullish rating from Citibank. The firm assigned the waste hauler a Buy rating, citing the potential opportunity from the sale of biomethane.
"While we acknowledge 2022 stock outperformance, the renewable natural gas opportunity is still underappreciated," analyst Bryan Burgmeier argued.
Decliners
Kura Sushi (KRUS) slumped following the release of its latest quarterly results. Shares of the sushi chain dropped almost 17% after the company announced a wider-than-expected loss. 
The firm's revenue jumped almost 32% from last year. However, KRUS suffered from increased costs. For the full year, the company reaffirmed its previous revenue guidance.
Baxter (BAX) also saw weakness during intraday action. This came after the company revealed that it will spin off its Renal Care and Acute Therapies global business units. Shares slipped nearly 6% on the news.

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