ISSAQUAH, Wash., Dec 6, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $3.04 billion for the four weeks ended December 2, 2001, an increase of 10 percent from $2.77 billion in the same four-week period of the prior fiscal year. On a comparable warehouse basis, that is warehouses open at least a year, sales increased 4 percent. Sales during the four-week period were impacted negatively by approximately one percent due to softer tobacco sales, the result of stronger tobacco sales in the prior (October) four-week reporting period when tobacco price increases benefited sales by approximately one percent.

For the first thirteen weeks of its 2002 fiscal year ended December 2, 2001, the Company reported net sales of $9.13 billion, an increase of 11 percent from $8.25 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year. Comparable warehouse sales for the thirteen-week year-to-date period increased 5 percent over the prior year's level.

The Company plans to report first quarter fiscal year 2002 operating results, for the 12 weeks ended November 25, 2001, on December 13th.

Costco currently operates 383 warehouses, including 282 in the United States (including two recent openings in Puerto Rico), 60 in Canada, 11 in the United Kingdom, five in Korea, three in Taiwan, two in Japan and 20 in Mexico. The Company also operates Costco Online, an electronic commerce web site, at www.costco.com. The Company plans to open two additional new warehouses prior to the end of calendar year 2001.

CONTACT: Costco Wholesale Corporation Richard Galanti, 425/313-8203 Bob Nelson, 425/313-8255