Stocks Making the Biggest Moves Midday: Bloom Energy Soars 13%, Costco Rallies on Strong Sales
You know that feeling when you check your portfolio at lunch and... whoa. Some stocks are absolutely flying while others are tanking? Yeah, today's one of those days.
The midday trading session is serving up some serious action, and if you blinked, you might've missed some pretty significant moves. Bloom Energy is making headlines with a massive 13% jump, Costco just proved the doubters wrong with killer holiday sales, and Alphabet's hitting fresh all-time highs. But here's the thing – understanding why these stocks are moving is just as important as knowing that they're moving.
Let me walk you through what's actually happening in the market right now... and more importantly, what it means for your money.
The Big Winners: Stocks Crushing It at Midday
Bloom Energy (BE): The $2.65 Billion Rocket Ship
Current Move: +13%
Okay, so Bloom Energy is absolutely exploding higher today, and for once, it's not just hype. The company just locked down a massive $2.65 billion deal with American Electric Power to supply solid oxide fuel cells. That's not a typo – we're talking billions with a "B."
Here's what happened: AEP exercised its option to buy a substantial portion of Bloom's fuel cells to power data centers (because apparently, AI needs to eat too, and it's hungry for electricity). The deal includes plans for a fuel cell power generation facility near Cheyenne, Wyoming, with a 20-year power offtake agreement already in place.
Why this matters: Data centers are projected to guzzle up massive amounts of energy as AI continues its wild expansion. Bloom Energy's technology offers a cleaner alternative to traditional power generation, and this deal basically validates their entire business model. Wall Street noticed... hence the 13% surge.
The catch? Bloom's stock already ran up 300% over four months last year before pulling back 20% in December. So yeah, there's been some profit-taking. Today's move suggests investors think there's more runway ahead, but this isn't exactly a bargain-bin stock anymore.
Costco (COST): Holiday Sales That Actually Delivered
Current Move: +5%
Remember when everyone was worried about consumer spending? Costco just said "hold my $1.50 hot dog combo."
The warehouse giant reported December net sales of $29.86 billion – an 8.5% increase year-over-year. But here's the really interesting part: comparable sales rose 7% across the board, with international markets crushing it at over 10% growth in some regions.
And get this... digitally-enabled sales jumped nearly 19%. Nineteen percent! That's not a company stuck in the physical retail dark ages – that's a retailer that figured out how to make people buy bulk toilet paper online.
What's driving this: A few things are happening here. First, when people feel economic pressure (and let's be real, many still do), they flock to value retailers. Costco's membership model means they've got a built-in loyal customer base that keeps coming back. Second, their international expansion is paying off big time. Third... people apparently really like buying things in quantities no single human should ever need.
The investor angle: Costco's been underperforming the broader market throughout 2025 (down 5% while the S&P climbed double digits). This December sales beat is exactly the catalyst bulls needed to argue the stock's ready for a comeback. Some analysts are even whispering about a potential special dividend in 2026.
Alphabet (GOOGL): AI Finally Gets Its Moment
Current Move: +1%+ to New All-Time High
Alphabet might "only" be up 1% today, but that 1% pushed the stock to a new all-time high. And honestly? This one's been building for a while.
Cantor Fitzgerald upgraded the Google parent from neutral to overweight, slapping a $370 price target on it (up from $310). Their reasoning? The firm's artificial intelligence capabilities are finally getting the recognition they deserve.
Plus, Google just announced it's rolling out more Gemini AI features to Gmail. And here's a fun fact that dropped recently: Alphabet's market cap briefly overtook Apple's, making it the second-largest U.S. company (Nvidia's still king of the hill).
The AI story: For months, it felt like NVIDIA was getting all the AI love while Google was... I don't know, just kind of there? But Gemini's been quietly eating ChatGPT's lunch in market share, and Google Cloud's revenue is growing at 34% year-over-year, with AI product sales up over 200%.
What to watch: Alphabet's testing ads on Gemini in 2026. Some investors love this (more revenue!), while others worry it could hurt the user experience. It's the classic Google dilemma – how do you monetize without making your product worse?
Defense Stocks Rally on Trump's $1.5 Trillion Budget Dream
Speaking of significant moves... defense stocks are having a moment.
President Trump called for a defense budget of $1.5 trillion in 2027 (up from current levels), saying he wants to build a "Dream Military." Whether that actually happens is... well, it's Washington, so who knows. But the market's betting on at least some increased defense spending.
The winners:
- Lockheed Martin: +4%
- L3Harris Technologies: +5%
- Northrop Grumman: +3%+
- Karman Holdings: +10% (also on acquisition news)
The defense trade thesis: With geopolitical tensions not exactly cooling down (understatement of the year?), defense contractors tend to benefit. Whether it's drones, missiles, or next-gen defense systems, these companies have government contracts with very nice, very stable cash flows.
But here's the twist – Trump also criticized defense contractors for executive pay and buybacks over R&D investment. So it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Still, the budget announcement was enough to juice these stocks higher at midday.
The Fallen: Memory Storage Stocks Get Hammered
Not everyone's having a good day. Memory storage stocks are getting absolutely pummeled:
- Western Digital: -9%
- Sandisk: -9%
- Seagate Technology: -8%
What's happening here: These stocks had an insane rally earlier in the week. We're talking 15-28% gains in a single session on AI and data center demand. Today? Investors are cashing in those chips faster than you can say "profit-taking."
This is textbook momentum reversal. When a stock rips 25% in a day, there's almost always going to be a pullback. Traders who bought in early took their profits, and now the stocks are finding a new equilibrium.
For long-term investors: The underlying thesis (data centers need storage, AI needs data) hasn't changed. But if you were thinking about jumping in? Today's pullback might actually be a better entry point than yesterday's euphoria.
Other Notable Movers Worth Your Attention
Applied Digital (+12%): Posted an earnings and revenue beat, with sales crushing estimates by about $40 million. They're also in talks with another "investment-grade hyperscaler" (tech speak for a massive cloud company). The stock's loving it.
Gap (+6%): UBS upgraded them to "buy," lifting their price target from $26 to $41. The thesis? They expect a turnaround in sales and earnings growth. Time will tell if Gap can actually pull it off, but the market's giving them the benefit of the doubt today.
Alcoa (-3%): JPMorgan downgraded to underweight, citing tariff uncertainty and valuation concerns. Aluminum stocks aren't exactly sexy right now, and this downgrade isn't helping.
What This All Means for Your Portfolio
Look, I get it. You're not sitting here at midday watching every tick in the market (if you are, maybe take a break?). But understanding these moves helps you spot trends before they become obvious.
Here's what I'm watching:
1. The AI infrastructure trade is real. Bloom Energy's massive deal proves that companies are willing to spend billions on power infrastructure for data centers. If you believe AI isn't going away (and why would it?), then companies providing picks and shovels for the AI gold rush are worth watching.
2. Consumer resilience matters more than headlines. Costco's sales beat suggests that despite all the economic worry, people are still spending – they're just being strategic about where they spend. Value retailers and clubs are benefiting.
3. Defense spending could be a theme for 2026. Whether you love it or hate it, defense contractors tend to perform well when budget talks turn hawkish. Just be aware of the political risks.
4. Momentum cuts both ways. Those memory storage stocks that fell today? They were yesterday's heroes. Chase performance at your own risk – sometimes the best entry is after the initial excitement fades.
5. Big Tech still has room to run. Alphabet hitting new highs while trading at reasonable multiples (compared to, say, NVIDIA) suggests the market still has appetite for tech giants with diversified revenue streams.
Your Action Plan (Because "Interesting" Doesn't Pay Bills)
Okay, so what should you actually do with this information?
If you're a trader: Watch for continuation or reversal patterns tomorrow. Bloom Energy's 13% pop could attract more buyers if it holds these gains, or it could see profit-taking. Defense stocks need follow-through to confirm this isn't just a one-day Trump tweet rally.
If you're a long-term investor: Don't chase the spikes. Bloom Energy's exciting, but up 13% in a day isn't necessarily your best entry point. Same with Costco – wait for a pullback or scale in gradually. Alphabet at all-time highs is less scary when you realize it's still growing revenue at 30%+ in cloud.
If you're on the sidelines: Use these moves to build a watchlist. Not everything deserves action today, but understanding what catalysts move stocks helps you recognize opportunities before they happen.
If you own these stocks: Congrats on the green day! Now ask yourself: has the underlying thesis changed? Bloom Energy's deal is a game-changer. Costco's sales were great but not shocking. Alphabet's upgrade is nice but doesn't fundamentally alter their trajectory.
Midday trading sessions reveal what professional traders are thinking right now. Not what they thought yesterday, not what they'll think tomorrow – what's happening in real-time as new information hits the market.
Today's message? Energy infrastructure for AI is a massive opportunity. Consumer spending isn't dead, just selective. Big Tech can still surprise to the upside. And defense spending might be the dark horse theme of 2026.
But here's what matters most: don't let FOMO (fear of missing out) drive your decisions. These moves are fascinating, educational even. But your portfolio should be built on research, diversification, and a plan that matches your risk tolerance.
The market will be here tomorrow. There will always be another stock making big moves. Your job isn't to catch every wave – it's to catch the right ones for your situation.
Stay Ahead of Market Moves
Want real-time alerts on the biggest stock movers each day? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter and get pre-market and midday updates delivered straight to your inbox. No fluff, just the catalysts driving today's market action.
[Subscribe Now - It's Free]
Not ready to commit? Bookmark this page and check back each trading day for updated coverage of stocks making the biggest moves. We track the markets so you don't have to guess what's driving price action.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not investment advice. Always do your own research and consult with a financial advisor before making investment decisions. Stock prices are volatile and past performance doesn't guarantee future results.