Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $6.80 billion for the month of April, the four weeks ended May 1, 2011, an increase of 17 percent from $5.83 billion during the similar period last year. Excluding the effects of rising gas prices and favorable exchange rates comp store sales rose 6 percent in the United States during the four week period.

This year’s four-week period for April included 27 days of sales compared to 28 last year. Easter fell in the reporting month of March last year. This calendar shift negatively impacted this year’s April total and comparable sales by approximately 1.5 to 2 percent, resulting from one less sales day this year, partially offset by several days of pre-Easter sales strength. Also, this year’s four-week period included sales from the company’s Mexico joint venture, as the Company began consolidating its Mexico operations on a prospective basis beginning with its 2011 fiscal year (on August 30, 2010); without those sales the net sales increase would have been 14 percent.

For the 35 weeks of its reporting period ended May 1, 2011, the company reported net sales of $57.6 billion, an increase of 13 percent from $51.0 billion during the similar period last year; excluding Mexico sales, the increase would have been 10 percent.

Comparable sales for the four-week and thirty-five-week periods ended May 1, 2011, including Mexico operations for last year and this year, were as follows:

                                    4 Weeks   35 Weeks
                                   ———- ———-

                   U.S.                  11%          6%
                   International       16%        14%

                   Total Company     12%         8%
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Inflation in gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies had a positive impact on comparable sales. Excluding these effects, comparable sales for the four-week and thirty-five-week periods were as follows:
                                    4 Weeks  35 Weeks
                                   ———- ———-

                   U.S.                   6%         4%
                   International       10%        9%

                   Total Company      7%        5%
                                   ========== ==========