Costco currently operates 452 warehouses, including 334 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 64 in Canada, 15 in the United Kingdom, five in Korea, four in Taiwan, five in Japan and 25 in Mexico. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The Company plans to open 8 to 10 additional new warehouses prior to the end of its fiscal year 2005, on August 28, 2005

http://www.costco.com

Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 increased eleven percent, to $18.36 billion, from $16.49 billion during the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Net sales for the first half of fiscal 2010 increased eight percent, to $35.28 billion, from $32.52 billion during the first half of fiscal 2009. 

Comparable sales for the second quarter (12 weeks) and first half (24 weeks) of fiscal 2010 were as follows: 

                                     12 Weeks   24 Weeks
                                     ---------  ---------
U.S.                                         5%         3%
International                               26%        19%
Total                                        9%         6%
                                     =========  =========

Comparable sales for the 12-week and 24-week periods, excluding the positive impacts from gasoline inflation and the strengthening of foreign currencies (primarily in Canada, the United Kingdom and Korea), were as follows: 

                                     12 Weeks   24 Weeks
                                     ---------  ---------
U.S.                                         2%         2%
International                               10%         9%
Total                                        3%         3%
                                    =========  =========

Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 was $299 million, or $.67 per diluted share, compared to $239 million, or $.55 per diluted share, during the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Net income for the first half of fiscal 2010 was $565 million, or $1.27 per diluted share, compared to net income for the first half of fiscal 2009 of $502 million or $1.14 per diluted share. The Company recorded a $22 million pre-tax charge ($0.03 per diluted share) related to a change in employee benefits in the second quarter of fiscal 2010 whereby certain unused time off will now be paid annually to the employee. 
The Company today also reported net sales of $5.61 billion for the four weeks ended February 28, 2010, an increase of eleven percent from $5.06 billion in the same four-week period of the prior fiscal year. For the six-month retail reporting period of September through February, the twenty-six weeks ended February 28, 2010, which includes the first two weeks of the Company's fiscal third quarter, the Company reported net sales of $38.06 billion, an increase of eight percent from $35.08 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.                                         5%         3%
International                               26%        19%
Total                                        9%         6%
                                     =========  =========

Comparable sales for the 4-week and 26-week periods, excluding the positive impacts from gasoline inflation and strengthening of foreign currencies (primarily in Canada, the United Kingdom and Korea), were as follows: 

                                       4 Weeks   26 Weeks
                                      ---------  ---------
U.S.                                          2%         2%
International                                10%         9%
Total                                         4%         3%
                                      =========  =========

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, one in Australia and 32 in Mexico. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com and at www.costco.ca in Canada. The Company plans to open an additional seven to eight new warehouses prior to the end of its 2010 fiscal year on August 29, 2010. 
 
Costco Wholesale Corporation Reports Second Quarter and Year-to-Date Operating Results for Fiscal 2007, Including Certain One-Time Items, and February Sales Results
ISSAQUAH, WA, Mar 08, 2007 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) announced today its operating results for the second quarter (12 weeks) and first half (24 weeks) of fiscal 2007, both ended February 18, 2007, and its February sales results. 
Net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 increased to $14.80 billion from $13.79 billion during the second quarter of fiscal 2006. In connection with recent changes to our consumer electronics returns policy, we undertook a more detailed analysis of our returns than we had performed historically. Although the operational data is still preliminary and being refined, the information indicated a longer timeframe over which returns are received and a lower realization rate on returned items than were previously estimated. Accordingly, as part of our quarterly analysis of our estimated reserve for sales returns, we increased by $224.4 million the sales reserve balance and took a charge to income for the quarter amounting to approximately $48.1 million ($30.4 million after tax). Excluding the sales reserve increase, net sales for the second quarter were $15.03 billion, representing a 9% increase over the prior year. 
Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2007 was $249.5 million, or $.54 per diluted share, compared to $296.2 million, or $.62 per diluted share, during the second quarter of fiscal 2006. Included in this year's second quarter results are three non-recurring items: (i) the $48.1 million pre-tax charge reflecting the reduced gross margin on the revised sales return reserve (discussed above); (ii) a pre-tax charge of $46.4 million associated with reducing adverse income tax consequences arising from the review of stock options by a special committee of the Board of Directors (this is $23.6 million less than the estimated expected charge announced last quarter); and (iii) a $10.1 million pre-tax benefit primarily to merchandise costs for an excise tax refund on prior merchandise sales of phone cards. Excluding these one-time items, second quarter net income would have been $302.9 million, or $.66 per diluted share. 
Net sales for the first half of fiscal 2007 increased 8% to $28.66 billion from $26.46 billion during the first half of fiscal 2006. Excluding the sales return reserve adjustment recorded in the second quarter, net sales for the first half of fiscal 2007 would have been $28.88 billion, or a 9% increase over the prior year. 
Net income for the first half of fiscal 2007 was $486.4 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, compared to net income for the first half of fiscal 2006 of $512.0 million, or $1.06 per diluted share. Excluding the three non-recurring items, as previously outlined, net income for the first half of fiscal 2007 would have been $539.5 million or $1.16 per diluted share, a 9% increase in earnings per diluted share over the prior year.
Comparable sales for the fiscal second quarter (12 weeks) and fiscal first half (24 weeks) of fiscal 2007, both ended February 18, 2007, were as follows:

                                   12 Weeks   24 Weeks
                                   ---------  ---------
              US                       5%         4%
              International            4%         8%
              Total Company            5%         5%
                                   =========  =========
The Company today also reported net sales of $4.60 billion for the four weeks ended March 4, 2007, an increase of 9% from $4.22 billion in the same four-week period of the prior fiscal year. For the six-month retail reporting period of September through February, the twenty-seven weeks ended March 4, 2007, which includes the first two weeks of the Company's fiscal third quarter, the Company reported net sales of $32.40 billion, an increase of 9% from $29.65 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year. These sales results exclude the adjustment to our sales returns reserve described above.