For something like this, I'd use column results. Related reading, DBIx::Class::ResultSetColumn and DBIx::Class::Manual::Features.

my $stocks_daily = $schema->resultset("stocks_daily"); # <-- update,ad
+ded ";"

my $rs = $stocks_daily->search({ symbol => $symbol,
                                 date => { ">=" => $date }});

my $c = $rs->get_column("c");
print $c->max || "nope!", $/;
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