ISSAQUAH, WA, Dec 03, 2009 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco") (NASDAQ: COST) today reported net sales of $6.04 billion for the month of November, the four weeks ended November 29, 2009, an increase of nine percent from $5.55 billion in the same four-week period last year.

For the thirteen weeks ended November 29, 2009, the Company reported net sales of $18.57 billion, an increase of six percent from $17.52 billion during the similar period last year.

Comparable sales for the periods ended November 29, 2009, were as follows:

                4 Weeks      13 Weeks
                -------      --------
U.S.               2%            1%
International     21%           14%
Total Company      6%            4%
                =======      ========

Inflation in gasoline prices relative to the prior year had a positive impact on November's comparable sales, in contrast to the previous twelve months, when the impact was negative. Strengthening foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar also had a positive impact on comparable sales. Comparable sales excluding these effects were as follows:

                4 Weeks      13 Weeks
                -------      --------
U.S.               0%            2%
International      7%            7%
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 75875264). This recorded message will be available today through 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Friday, December 4, 2009.

The Company plans to release its operating results for the first quarter (12 weeks) of its 2010 fiscal year ended November 22, 2009, on December 10, 2009. 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 and at www.costco.ca in Canada.

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:
Costco Wholesale Corporation
Richard Galanti
425/313-8203

Bob Nelson
425/313-8255

Jeff Elliott
425/313-8264

SOURCE: Costco