ISSAQUAH, Wash., Jul 11, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (Nasdaq: COST) today reported net sales of $3.86 billion for the five weeks ended July 7, 2002, an increase of 11 percent from $3.48 billion in the same five-week period of the prior fiscal year. For the first forty-four weeks of its 2002 fiscal year ended July 7, 2002, the Company reported net sales of $32.01 billion, an increase of 12 percent from $28.70 billion during the comparable period of the prior fiscal year.

Comparable sales for the 5-week and 44-week periods ended July 7, 2002 were as follows:

                        5 Weeks   44 Weeks
                        --------  ---------
US                         6%         7%
International              6%         2%
Total Company              6%         6%
                        ========  =========

Costco currently operates 393 warehouses, including 289 in the United States, 60 in Canada, 14 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 one new warehouse and relocate one warehouse to a larger and better-located facility prior to the end of its 2002 fiscal year on September 1, 2002. The Company also plans to open an additional 16 to 18 new warehouses (including one relocation of an existing warehouse to a larger and better-located facility) prior to the end of calendar year 2002.