ISSAQUAH, Wash., Jul 12, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation ("Costco" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:COST) today reported net sales of $3.49 billion for the five weeks ended July 8, 2001, an increase of 12 percent from $3.11 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 5 percent.

For the first forty-four weeks of its 2001 fiscal year ended July 8, 2001, the Company reported net sales of $28.70 billion, an increase of 10 percent from $26.08 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year. Comparable warehouse sales for the year-to-date period increased 4 percent over the prior year's level.

Costco currently operates 363 warehouses, including 262 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 four additional new warehouses (including two relocations of existing warehouses to larger and better-located facilities) prior to the end of its 2001 fiscal year on September 2, 2001, and an additional 22 to 24 new warehouses (including two to three relocations) prior to the end of calendar year 2001.

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