Apr 11, 2005 8:13 AM, from staff and wire reports

Costco Wholesale Corp reported net sales of $4.87 billion for the five weeks ended April 3, 2005, a 10% increase from $4.41 billion in the same five-week period of the prior fiscal year.

For the first 31 weeks of its 2005 fiscal year ended April 3, 2005, the company tallied net sales of $30.49 billion, a gain of 10% from $27.79 billion during the similar 31-week period of the previous fiscal year.

Costco operates 452 warehouses, including 334 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 64 in Canada, 15 in the United Kingdom, five in Korea, four in Taiwan, five in Japan, and 25 in Mexico. The firm plans to open nine to 11 new warehouses before its fiscal year ends Aug 28, 2005.