Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $9.19 billion for the month of December, the five weeks ended Jan. 2, 2011, up 11% from $8.26 billion during the similar period last year. This year's five-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 (beginning Aug. 30, 2010). Without those sales the increase would have been 8%.


For the 18 weeks of its reporting period ended Jan. 2, the company reported net sales of $29.8 billion, an increase of 11% from $26.8 billion during the similar period last year; excluding Mexico sales, the increase would have been 8%.


Comparable sales for the five-week and 18-week periods ended Jan. 2,  including Mexico operations for last year and this year, were as follows:


                                       5 Weeks     18 Weeks
                                      ———- ———-
                U.S.                     4%           4%
                International        12%          13%

                Total Company       6%           7%
                                     ==========   ==========


 

Inflation in gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies had a positive impact on comparable sales. Excluding these effects, comparable sales for the five-week and eighteen-week periods were as follows:

 

                                      5 Weeks     18 Weeks
                                     ———-   ———-
                U.S.                     3%           3%
                International          8%           9%

                Total Company       4%           5%
                                     ==========   ==========