Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST), one of the leading U.S. warehouse club operators, recently posted sales data for the four-week period ended May 30, 2010 driven by robust international locations.
 
After portraying an increase of 11% in April 2010, Costco’s comparable-store sales for May rose 9%, reflecting a comparable sales growth of 7% at its U.S. locations and 17% at its international divisions. Year-to-date comparable-store sales grew 7% with U.S. sales up 4% and international sales up 21%. The results were favorably impacted by rising gasoline prices and a weaker U.S. dollar.
 
Excluding the effects of gasoline prices and a softer dollar, Costco’s comparable-store sales for May climbed 5% with U.S. comparable sales up 5%, while international comparable sales were up 9%. Year-to-date comparable-store sales grew 3% with U.S. sales up 2% and international sales up 9%.
 
Total net sales for May surged 11% to $6.09 billion from $5.47 billion in the same month last year. Year-to-date sales increased 10% to $57.17 billion from $52.15 billion delivered in the same period last year.
 
Costco indicated that May 2010 included 28 days of sales versus 27 days in the prior-year, and also said that Memorial Day fell in May 2009, but not this year. The shift in holiday favorably impacted the May 2010’s total sales and comparable-store sales by nearly 2%, and positively impacted U.S. locations by 3%.
 
Costco, which faces stiff competition from BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. (BJ) and Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), currently operates 568 warehouses, including 414 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 78 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 21 in the United Kingdom, 9 in Japan, 7 in Korea, 6 in Taiwan and 1 in Australia.
 
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