Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $7.04 billion for the four weeks ended Feb. 26, an increase of 10 percent from $6.38 billion in the same four-week period of the prior fiscal year. U.S. comp store sales, excluding fuel sales, grew 7 percent.
For the six-month retail reporting period of September through February, the 26 weeks ended Feb. 26, which includes the first two weeks of the company's fiscal third quarter, the company reported net sales of $47.22 billion, an increase of 11 percent from $42.46 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year.
Comparable sales for the 4-week retail-reporting month of February and the 26-week retail-reporting period of September through February were as follows:
4 Weeks 26 Weeks
———— ————
U.S. 8% 9%
International 8% 9%
Total 8% 9%
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Inflation in gasoline prices had a positive impact on comparable sales, particularly for the 26-six week period; foreign currencies had a negative impact for both periods. Excluding these effects, comparable sales were as follows:
4 Weeks 26 Weeks
———— ————
U.S. 7% 7%
International 9% 10%
Total 7% 7%
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Costco currently operates 600 warehouses, including 433 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, 13 in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia. The Company also operates Costco Online and plans to open up to an additional 10 new warehouses (including the relocation of a warehouse to a larger and better-located facility) prior to the end of its 53-week fiscal year on Sept. 2, 2012.
