ISSAQUAH, Wash., Jan 10, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $4.27 billion for the five weeks ended January 6, 2002, an increase of 13 percent from $3.78 billion in the same five-week period of the prior fiscal year. On a comparable warehouse basis, that is warehouses open at least a year, sales increased 7 percent.

For the first eighteen weeks of its 2002 fiscal year ended January 6, 2002, the Company reported net sales of $13.40 billion, an increase of 11 percent from $12.03 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year. Comparable warehouse sales for the eighteen-week year-to-date period increased 5 percent over the prior year's level.

Costco currently operates 385 warehouses, including 284 in the United States, 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 20 to 22 additional new warehouses (including the relocation of four to five warehouses to larger and better-located facilities) prior to the end of its fiscal year ending September 1, 2002.

CONTACT: Costco Wholesale Corporation Bob Nelson, 425/313-8255 Jeff Elliott, 425/313-8264