Costco Wholesale Corporation reported comp store sales excluding gasoline sales and the effects of exchange rates grew 6 percent in the United States in the five weeks ended April 7.
Costco reported net sales of $9.67 billion for the period, up 7 percent from $9.07 billion during the similar period last year.
For the thirty-one weeks ended April 7, the company reported net sales of $61.02 billion, an increase of 8 percent from $56.34 billion during the similar period last year.
Comparable sales for the five-week and 31-week periods ended April 7, 2013, were as follows:
| 5 Weeks | 31 Weeks | ||
U.S. | 5% | 6% | |
| International | 2% | 6% | |
| Total Company | 4% | 6% | |
Changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange rates had negative impacts on comparable sales for the five-week period, but positive impacts for the 31-week period. Excluding these effects, comparable sales were as follows:
| 5 Weeks | 31 Weeks | ||
U.S. | 6% | 5% | |
| International | 5% | 5% | |
| Total Company | 6% | 5% | |
Costco currently operates 626 warehouses, including 449 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 85 in Canada, 33 in Mexico, 23 in the United Kingdom, 15 in Japan, nine in Taiwan, nine in Korea and three in Australia. It also operates e-commerce stores in the United State, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company plans to open up to an additional ten new warehouses prior to the end of its fiscal year on Sept. 1, 2013.
