Similarly, companies that have to bear higher input costs themselves see profits suffer, but those that can pass on higher costs to consumers can avoid or at least reduce the hit to their earnings. For instance, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST) saw its stock rise nearly 7% on Friday. Comparable sales were up 15% from year-earlier levels, and while a significant portion of those gains were due to higher gasoline prices, Costco still saw a nearly 10% rise in comps after accounting for gasoline and foreign exchange effects.