Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports January Sales Results

 | Source: Costco Costco

ISSAQUAH, WA--(Marketwire - February 4, 2010) - Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: COST) today reported net sales of $5.62 billion for the month of January, the four weeks ended January 31, 2010, an increase of ten percent from $5.09 billion in the same four-week period last year.

For the twenty-two weeks ended January 31, 2010, the Company reported net sales of $32.45 billion, an increase of eight percent from $30.02 billion during the similar period last year.

Comparable sales for the periods ended January 31, 2010, were as follows: 

                       4 Weeks     22 Weeks
                       -------     --------
       U.S.                  4%           3%
       International        25%          18%

       Total Company         8%           6%
                       =======     ========

Inflation in gasoline prices and strengthening foreign currencies had a positive impact on January's comparable sales. Comparable sales excluding these effects were as follows: 

                       4 Weeks     22 Weeks
                       -------     --------
       U.S.                  0%           2%
       International         9%           8%

       Total Company         2%           3%
                       =======     ========

Additional discussion of these sales results is available on a pre-recorded telephone message. You can access the recording by dialing 1-800-642-1687 (conference ID 44184448). This recorded message will be available today through 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, February 5, 2010.

The Company plans to release its operating results for the second quarter (12 weeks) of its 2010 fiscal year ending February 14, 2010, on Wednesday, March 3, 2010. A conference call to discuss these results is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. (PT) that day and will be available via webcast on www.costco.com. (click on Investor Relations and "webcasts").

Costco currently operates 566 warehouses, including 413 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 77 in Canada, 21 in the United Kingdom, seven in Korea, six in Taiwan, nine in Japan, 32 in Mexico and one in Australia. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada.

Certain statements contained in this document and the pre-recorded telephone message constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (including health care costs), geopolitical conditions and other risks identified from time to time in the Company's public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact Information: CONTACTS: Costco Wholesale Corporation Richard Galanti 425/313-8203 Bob Nelson 425/313-8255 Jeff Elliott 425/313-8264

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